Seraphim Blood: RE-Ghoul
by ShadowDragon94
Summary: Existing in such a dismal life wasn't their choice; however, it was reality. When a virus destroyed everything they've known, it had become a nightmare in a new flesh and form. So, now, they cling to their memories and learn the rules of survival in this blood-stained world of shadows. The truth of this reality? None of them really know. But there are no choices now.{Pre-Seraph II}
1. Chapter 1: Crush

_Dear Readers,_

 _I know that most of you have read this story; however, I reread it, and decided there were a few details I wanted to change to make it a little more cohesive. As of now, I have removed the lead-up dates of the Tokyo Raid, only granting a few dates and time stamps because I intend to fully revise the story once it's completed. I hope you guys enjoy it._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul, that belongs to Ishida Sui, I also do not own Seraph of the End that belongs to Kagami Takaya, Yamato Yamamoto, and Furuya Daisuke._

 _Claimer: I do own a few details in this story._

Chapter 1: Crush

 _I'll be there hold on – they'll change you somehow._

 _In this shaken, twisted world, I gradually become transparent, unable to be seen._

 _So where are you now? I'll reach you by dawn – Before you can be turned – Illusions are torn._

 _Please don't bother looking for me; don't stare at me…I merely don't want to hurt you, inside a world, that came out of someone's imagination._

 _The fallen angels you run with don't know it is our pain that makes us all human after all._

 _So please remember me; as vivid as I was._

How many times did something play over in their heads as they thought about what had been happening? Here they were hour's maybe even days into hiding after something that had rattled them to the bone. None of them could forget it even if they tried – the bloodshed, the senselessness in it all – and still they questioned how it had begun and why – it was the end of all they loved and knew. Touka Kirishima sighed as she looked at the others huddled in the cellar of Anteiku with her. How had it become like this? She glanced at the figures not far from her in questioning.

Earlier that evening when the CCG had declared a raid on Anteiku Touka had known something bad was going to happen – but she hadn't expected what she'd seen when she arrived despite Yomo's efforts – in the middle of the street, covered in a thick sheet of white snow slowly soaking into crimson was none other than the Eye-Patch Ghoul himself Kaneki Ken looking more monster than what should have been possible for even a Ghoul. Her eyes had been wide when his ruby red Kagune had come lashing out like a whip and split a man in half without him even blinking. It had seemed horrific until her eyes landed on the person near him. Lying at his side almost on the side walk had been the manager of Anteiku Yoshimura, dead.

Tears burned in her eyes as she stared onward at the white haired ghoul whom she had grown to both love and hate. It was as she tried to go too him that a hand grabbed her and dragged her into an alley way. It was Nishiki and Kimi standing there with Hinami hiding behind the young woman. Touka had only paused momentarily when she realized the brown haired girl was present in the midst of this carnage but what scared her worse than everything she had just witnessed – was the wide eyes of one Hideyoshi Nagechika. He hadn't known then when he witnessed the white haired Ghoul lay into the CCG in rage and he still didn't know now well over what she was sure by the watch on her wrist – she had only now recalled having worn one – that six hours later he still didn't know who that white haired Ghoul really was.

"Touka? Hey! Touka!" she looked up at Hide who was holding out a bottle of water.

"Oh….thanks Hide….where did you find that?" she asked quietly.

"There's a bunch of them down here. I guess the manager stocked up on them in case something happened to the water system. Good for us that he did." The boy gave her a weak smile.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Nishiki as he looked at them.

"I'm alright…." Kimi nodded as Hinami sat near Touka and wrapped her arms around her.

"What about you Hinami? You okay?" asked Hide.

"I am – Mr. Hide….are you hurt?" he looked at the cut on his upper arm.

"Na I'm good – but I am a little shaken up still…." He sat down and the others looked to him.

"What do you mean?" asked Nishiki.

"I guess….I'm just shocked that Ghoul tossed us in here before the fight got worse. I barely felt it until he slung us in here…." Kimi nodded at that.

"We should just be thankful that he saved our lives," she said.

"Yea….but…why would he? Aren't most Ghouls really cruel?" Nishiki looked the blonde over.

"They can be, but I've never seen that one as exactly cruel," he stated.

"What do you mean? He sliced up those CCG members like they were nothing!" Touka felt a knot form in her chest.

"They killed someone he cared for right in front of him…." Hide paused.

"Do all of you know why that Ghoul saved us?" he asked.

"Not really…..I guess he didn't want to see anymore carnage brought on by the CCG who were taking down bystanders because they might be Ghouls…" Touka heard Hinami sniffle.

"Hinami?" questioned Kimi as she looked at the girl.

"Big brother is out there big sis….is he going to be okay?" the others tensed as Hide looked at her.

"Is your brother part of the CCG?" he asked as he leaned a little closer to the girl.

"No! He's…."

A sudden crunch of rubble caught their attention as they tensed. None of them knew if it was another Ghoul, a member of Anteiku, or a CCG member, but they hoped that it wasn't someone who would harm them more than they already had been. Nishiki and Touka tensed wondering if they would have to fight when the click of shoe soles caught their attention as they came down the stone staircase before pausing and glancing around the corner. Still in battle clothes, the gothic and frightening mask still in place was the white haired Ghoul that had been fighting on the street. Hide instantly went stiff as did Kimi who moved behind her boyfriend to stay clear of the Ghoul who stood watching the others.

"H-Hey….your…." Hide couldn't quite get his words out. The ghoul sighed and looked the others over as he tried to assess their current states of health. Tension drained as he looked at the group.

"Good…your all safe…" the voice was muffled, but the two humans found it familiar.

"What about the others?" asked Touka.

"No idea…..the CCG ran away from something…..there's sirens going off in the streets – fire started blooming everywhere….something is happening and it's not Ghoul or CCG related." The blue haired girl looked down.

"So do we leave?" asked Nishiki. The white haired Ghoul shook his head.

"No, if we do I have a feeling we're going to end up getting caught up in it and there's no telling what will happen." The ghoul sat down breathing a sigh of relief as he leaned against the wall.

"Are there any people still on the streets?" asked Touka.

"People in cloaks….I don't know what they're doing but I'd prefer to stay away from them….I didn't stick around to find out what they've got planned." Nishiki looked him over.

"Let me guess, gut feeling?" he said it almost with a sarcastic air and the white haired ghoul laughed a bit.

"You could say that…" Hide watched the Ghoul with questioning. Some of the mannerisms were similar to someone he knew.

"Mind taking off your mask?" he asked suddenly. Most in the room stilled.

"Why?" the one visible eye was what most ghoul's eyes looked like – a black sclera with a red pupil.

"You saved us – I want to know who saved us," he said with his heart pounding.

"Why? I'm a Ghoul – you'll put yourself in danger if…." A sound of something rambling through the upstairs came to them.

"Well I…" the white haired ghoul stood waiting while the others stood back in waiting.

Hide watched them – Touka going on guard and putting Hinami behind her – and Nishiki and Kimi standing close to one another. He was near Touka therefore he stepped back and watched the ghoul as the rambling thing came from upstairs and down the stairwell to them. In a matter of moments a white cloaked person turned and looked up – teeth baring in a wild hiss as fangs were flashed to them. Everyone panicked. The four ghouls in the room prepared for an attack as the creature charged at Hide – how was still slightly in the middle of the space between Touka and the white haired ghoul – and he felt his life flash before his eyes.

In a matter of seconds a red, gleaming object slammed the creature into a wall. Hide stared as once again the pulsing red Kagune of the white haired ghoul appeared and saved not only him but everyone. His eyes grew wide as the ghoul pressed not one but four of the pulse red and black hued tentacle like object against the creature that howled in pain. It wriggled, screaming and snapping at the ghoul before it attempted to bite down on his Kagune. Blood dripped from the wound in which the creature seemed gleeful until it tried to lap up the blood. The beast howled as it gagged and choked hissing in pain as the ghoul gave it an almost cynical look.

"So, what are you?" questioned Nishiki as he looked at the creature pinned by the white haired ghoul.

"I am of a superior race! You are all trash, you filth! You hapless sacks of blood, you livestock mean nothing to me!" a red flash was seen as the monster screamed as the end of the Kagune pinning him went from pliable and soft looking to sharp and pierced the man's side.

"Superior race? Please, there is no superior race really – we're all just monsters reveling in our own sins – so….what is yours?" the ghoul tilted his head and the creature bared its teeth.

"I am the servant of the Third Progenitor, and our Queen – Krul Tepes! I am of the eternal line!" a black and red eye locked onto him.

"Third Progenitor, Krul Tepes – she's the one leading this….raid upon humanity?" the others paused and the creature smiled.

"Yes and those who do not submit shall be destroyed! We have begun our Reign!" the people in the room looked at the creature once more and wondered if it was possible for them to learn more about who or what this thing was.

"What are you?" inquired Touka.

"We are what you pathetic livestock call vampires!" it sounded proud – worse than Tsukiyama Shuu on a rant – and they had decided upon hearing that from the creature that they needed to know one more thing.

"Why did the CCG and Aoigiri Tree run?" the white haired ghoul held up a single tentacle-like appendage at the vampire's heart.

"Those people in police clothes and those guys in red cloaks? They didn't know it….they couldn't have outran it even if they so wished – it is a miracle that you children survived! Come with us! We can take care of you where the virus is not able to reach you," the vampire stated. The others were beginning to think that the vampire had a serious bi-polar issue due to the flipping back and forth from being cocky to actually trying to persuade them.

"What's the catch?" the vampire looked at them.

"We have a fair trade – you give blood we give food, shelter, protection and…" a red appendage slashed into the side of the creature again.

"Why did you let out a virus?" the vampire looked at the person momentarily.

"To place Japan under our control. This virus has spread throughout the world… Tokyo as of this night, belongs to us… even you… Ghouls, will no longer have a hold upon this city. "

Anxiety filled the room. The entire world? And now, Japan had fallen into the clutches of the Vampires? It made some stare down at the ground with grim faces as the vampire laughed a bit despite the fact that the ghoul standing before him was growing less and less interested and twice as pissed. Today he had lost his family, his life with Anteiku as had everyone else in that room with him because of the CCG – Aogiri had little to do with that in fact thanks to Ayato they had been helping – but now they were being told that the vampires had been killing off areas of Japan. It didn't match up in his head because someone would have noticed entire towns and massive cities going dark in a single night. Unless something was missing.

"What are you talking about? Tokyo was the last strong hold?" the vampire laughed.

"You are foolish – it was because of you Ghouls that Tokyo remained intact and untouched by us…. but now, the Japan is ours. The city of Tokyo belongs to the vampires now!"

The others couldn't bear to hear anymore and by Hide's point of view neither could the white haired ghoul. The red Kagune sliced at the vampire like a whip causing it to lash out. The two blocked one another in the corner of the room at the stairwell until the vampire lashed out with its claws knocking the black mask to the side by pulling at the strap and dislodging it. The top of it slipped down to pool around the ghoul's throat before he let out a growl like sound and bit down on the struggling vampire's neck. The creature screamed in agony as a hole was tore through its jugular and the ghoul swallowed before it turned to ash. The group had felt themselves relax now that the vampire was gone and their information was gotten, but it had knocked the legs out from under Kimi and Hinami while Touka and Nishiki were ill looking and Hide was in mere shock.

However, that all changed when the now unmasked ghoul glanced their way and instead of merely pulling his mask back up before looking like he knew he should have he was met almost face to face with Hide who now stared in horror as he caught just enough of the ghoul's face to cause the black clad figure to race up the stairs and slam the door above shut. Hide dropped to the ground as he tried to fathom what he had seen moments ago – hoping he had just seen what he wanted to – while the others started to look at where the other had gone before looking at the blonde.

"This is all too much! What the hell! How did they manage that?" snapped Nishiki.

"Tokyo was being shielded by the Ghoul organizations….none of us knew it…." Hide looked at the others and saw Hinami begin to cry. This was confusing, it was maddening in fact. But they had to grasp reality right then and this was now reality.

"So Japan is…..what…..in the hands of blood suckers?" asked Hide as he tried to get his bearings.

"Probably the entire world….did you not hear what that vampire said? Tokyo was _the last strong hold_ because of the Ghouls….but because the CCG got into the crosshairs with the major Ghoul Organizations like Aogiri Tokyo is probably in shambles." The group sat there for a moment.

"What are we gonna do? Yoshimura is gone, those CCG bastards killed him! They killed Koma! Irimi! Who even knows if Yomo or the others even survived?!" Hide stared wide eyed at Nishiki and Touka who were glaring daggers at the floor of the coffee shop's cellar.

"What do you mean the CCG killed them? They only hunt….." Hinami opened her eyes displaying black sclera and red irises. Hide jolted away as if he'd been burned.

"Ghouls? Three of the people in this room are Ghouls Hide….and we've never done anything more than what we had to in order to live," stated Touka as she looked at him.

"Three….then…who is….." Kimi raised her hand.

"I've known for a long time now that Nishiki was a Ghoul….I still love him…." Hide stared flabbergasted.

"Then…Anteiku was…." The group nodded.

"Our home, and our family….Yoshimura did all he could to help us and you too Hide," said Hinami as she wiped her eyes. What were they supposed to do? This was not how they planned on breaking this to the blonde boy.

"What? So then….how? Humans were here…..and….I came here with….but….wait….what about Kaneki? He worked here right? What happened to him? Where is he?" in his panic – not entirely for his own life but for the harsh reality he and the others were being forced to face – he had forgotten about the white haired ghoul hiding somewhere in the darkness upstairs.

"Kaneki is safe Hide – he's never been to far," said Touka.

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen him in months! Not since you all told me he was sick again and had gone on a short leave so he could get better! None of you…." Touka snarled at that as her eyes changed and her Kagune slipped out her shoulders.

"None of us here would ever and I repeat _ever!_ Hurt Kaneki! He's family to us!" she snapped.

Hide stared at the girl. He had seen the white haired Ghoul's Kagune – and while eerie and strange – that one's and Touka's shared something similar. Despite what they were, and what they came from instead of feeling horror, terror and disgust his body relaxed as he looked at the girl and realized as he looked at her with the bright flush glow of fiery red, and elegant violet that sprang from her back like the wings of a phoenix that the female ghoul was not ghastly or anything of the sort – it was beautiful.

"That's stunning…." He didn't know why he used such a word but the girl stared at him.

"I told you your Kagune was beautiful Touka," said Kimi with a small smile.

"I….Hide…." the blonde stared in awe of it. His fear cast aside, he truthfully had never been scared of Ghouls – a little spooked from time to time yes, but did he hate them? Find them ugly and horrible? No – therefore he sat upon the ground and stared as Touka let her Kagune dissolve and stared at the boy.

"Then where is my friend? What happened to him? Is he safe?" he asked as he stood a bit shakily. Ghouls, he internally laughed – he should have known all along.

"He probably couldn't be safer….well if the damn brat is still in the building that is…." Hide felt as if his mind screeched to a flying halt.

"What…." Nishiki looked at him.

"Go upstairs and call out to him – see what happens," he said.

"Um I…." Touka nodded with a frown.

"You need to talk – both of you got it? Or I will kick both your sorry asses!" Touka said as she crossed her arms.

Hide was defeated without the use of fighting or Kagune as he sighed and marched with dread up the stairwell and into the backroom of Anteiku. What was he doing? Go upstairs and call out for Kaneki? What? Would he come running? He took a moment and looked at the dark area in hopes of not running into another vampire. It was so dark that he nearly would have thought it impossible to find his way into the front of the coffee shop, but he thankfully managed from all his time spent there. As he made it out to the front and towards the counter he stopped when he heard what sounded oddly like a faint sob. His body stilled as he saw the streetlights were still working and it gave the building a little light. In a corner he saw a figured huddled up and decided that it would do him good to call for his friend. Who knew maybe Nishiki was right.

What was he to think about all this though? Vampires, the end of the world, and all the people he'd considered friends were ghouls minus two and he didn't know what really make of it. Touka's Kagune flared in his mind and he sighed – submitting to the fact that he was safer with the group of people who normally would probably eat him wasn't that satisfying, but he had little choice – between Ghouls and Vampires he would take a Ghoul any day, besides most of the ones he'd encountered were nice – well, nice-ish – that white haired ghoul kind of spooked him. He looked ominous and threatening despite his best efforts to not be unsettled it just wouldn't work. He took a deep breath and looked around the area in the café once more.

"Kaneki? Are you here?" he called out in a slightly loud whisper. He didn't want to draw attention to who knew what outside. There was a shuffle and something moved from a corner and tried to hide itself. Hide had just managed to catch the figure's ankle – feeling soft but thin and strong fabric and what felt like a type of leather – he jerked the slim ankle and took the person's legs out from under them.

With a matter of moments Hide was kicked and groaned as he felt pain spread through him before the person scurried backwards. He sighed as he held his stomach in questioning of who had kicked him. It seemed like the person was Kaneki – judging by the weight he'd pulled and knowing it because he had always loved to scare the other boy by picking him up and swinging him, making fun of his small stature – he sighed knowing now wasn't the time to be reminiscing about silly practical jokes he'd pulled on his best friend. He looked at the figure now hiding just in the shadows away from the light sources that were flooding the front half of the shop with blue tinted light.

"Hey! Kaneki! Come on! Your kind of worrying me here – did those vamps get to you?" the figure stiffened.

"No…." Hide relaxed.

"That's good – you have Touka worried you know…." He slightly could make out the outline of his friend sitting curled against the wall.

"I know…" he sighed.

"Come on now Kaneki – you know not to make a nice girl like her wait – and besides her and Hinami, and Nishiki and his girlfriend Kimi are downstairs in the cellar and waiting on me to get you," he stated.

"I know…" Hide frowned.

"Did all this freak you out that badly? If I had known you were supposed to be coming here I would have gotten to you and come with you. I came because I was worried about the Anteiku raid and thought that well…you know…I'd make sure your girlfriend and the others were okay," he stated.

"Touka isn't my…..she hates me right now…" his voice sounded softer and more indifferent than he was used to hearing.

"And? Just kiss and make up!" Hide said smiling.

"Not that easy….I hurt her bad Hide…" the other boy was still against the wall, in the dark where Hide couldn't make out anything but his silhouette.

"How bad? You two haven't done something I should have known about did you?" he asked with a suggestive tone the other nearly sprang up from his spot but thought better of it.

"No nothing like that….I…..think I broke her heart…..I don't even know if it was that….she….kept telling me to come back, and I didn't listen to her so I…" Hide sighed.

"Kaneki? Can I ask you a question?" he inquired the other shifted.

"Okay…." Hide got a little closer to the edge of the shadows.

"Did you know Touka, Nishiki, and Hinami were Ghouls? That the manager and the workers here were also Ghouls?" he asked. Another shift.

"I did…." He frowned.

"Then why work here?" Kaneki sighed.

"I don't think you'd understand the reason…." Hide again frowned. He reached forward and heard a wet pat. Drawing his hand back he saw red and panicked.

"You're hurt! Kaneki!" Hide stood from his kneeled spot on the ground and the person tried to push further back but found they were against the wall.

"I'll be fine!"

"No that's too much blood!"

Hide darted towards him and Kaneki reacted by dodging him. The blonde moved, slipping on the blood on the floor before staring as he saw the person he had been friends with for most of his life scurry back as if he was a scared and trapped mouse. Brown eyes looked into apathetic silvery-brown and froze. Dressed in the same attire as the Ghoul who had saved them, who had killed the vampire, with the same white hair and the mask pooled around his throat was Hide's best friend. The blonde stared with his calm expression morphing into shock and horror as the other boy turned his head away and stayed still. Hide could only stare onward as the now white haired boy pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his head on his knees while putting his hands over his ears as if to block out everything that was happening.

"Kaneki? Is that…..really…." the boy grew stiff in what Hide could only describe as fear.

"Just go….back downstairs…please…" Hide sat up and slowly walked towards the boy before crouching in front of him gently and gradually so not to startle him.

"I just….want to talk…okay?" he asked slowly.

"Please…..just go back downstairs please….." the blonde sighed.

"Will you look at me please? I just want to…..no I need to know what happened to you…..what really is going on here are you really….."

As if to answer his question – or if he was getting angry he couldn't be sure – four pulsing red Kagune appeared behind him after a single moment of what sounded like tearing flesh. Hide jumped when one of the objects lashed at him and he stared wide eyed as his friend locked eyes with him – his right eye was identical to a ghoul's – the white sclera went black and his silvery-brown iris turned blood red.

"Do you really want to see this? Look at me…." The blond had turned away in horror.

"Your…. but…." something warm and soft wrapped around his waist and Hide was slung down onto the ground only to be pinned by the white-haired boy.

"Look at me Hide!" the boy shook.

"Don't…." as if to have only made him angry Hide felt the end of a Kagune slide across his cheek and leave a trail of blood.

"Don't what? Eat you? Please, I doubt you taste that good with all the crap you eat." The voice that spoke to him was not the one he was used to when he thought of his childhood friend. It was cold, indifferent, laced with distain and malice. Whatever this was – it was not his friend.

"How? You…." the weight pinning him let up and he didn't have to look at the boy who he knew was still watching him with the same indifferent gaze.

"Rize…. the accident…. Doctor Kannou…. half a year of being something I wasn't born as nor; did I wish to become…." the blonde kept his gaze down.

"So she….but…" the sensation of something sliding across his throat caught his attention and Hide jolted into a stiffened fear as the red, pulsing Kagune slid dangerously close to his jugular.

"You're such a hypocrite….you come to find me and what did you expect? Your friend would be waiting here for you to cheer up? You won't even look at me Hide! I'm your best friend! And you can't face me because all you see is some blood thirsty monster!" the blonde flinched. He was right, and he hated every second that the boy was correct. The Kagune around his waist – which he was certain would have slammed him into something again – let go and he looked at the boy.

Now kneeling just in front of him Hide finally got a look at his friend properly. He had changed a great deal – from the white hair, pallor to his complexion, his eyes lacking their once normal warmth, his fingernails were black and he knew it wasn't polish, his entire being didn't radiate the sensation of the shy bookworm he had known since grade school but a creature of darker origins, something dangerous and threatening but at the same time protective and oddly calming. He looked at the boy once more as the Kagune moved to a relaxed state and he took in a deep breath.

"Look at you….I find it hard to believe you're the same bookworm of a friend I've had most of my life," Hide said as he looked at him.

"I'm not….I'm not a human….I'm a ghoul Hide and you…." the other sighed.

"There's no denying what you are or that you've changed but….your still Kaneki to me….I can still tell when I look you in the eye that this has made you something different than what I've always seen but your still my best friend," he stated in a slightly shaky tone.

"You're scared…." Hide looked down.

"Yea well….its common now I guess – you heard that vampire….Kaneki….come on man don't push me away just because you're a Ghoul – I want to know about this," he said honestly.

"No you don't…..I am a monster Hide that hasn't changed in several months….take a good look at me…what do you see?" dark brown met the same silvery-brown he was used to seeing.

"My friend, who like I said was always much more hip than I am." Kaneki rolled his eyes – the right changed again and Hide flinched.

"What about now?" the blonde stood slowly as the other did.

"My friend, who's a Ghoul who I still see as a brother to me – let's go back downstairs okay? We can talk more with the others there…." The boy sighed as a slight crack met Hide's ears as he looked to see the boy doing something to his fingers.

"Don't even ask…." The blonde sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know what your issue is but you can tell me later – right now I'm sure the others are worried – Hinami kept asking if you were okay," Hide told him. The boy perked up a bit.

"Really? I guess some things don't change…okay…."

For now, Hide decided he was better not asking about his friend's white hair or his black nails nor his emotionless eyes. If he was told it would be when his friend was ready to tell him about whatever trauma had changed him – besides, right now they had an apocalypse to deal with – and Hide was keen to not only stick it out with the group but get his plans into action on getting Touka and Kaneki to admit what they felt for one another. He knew it wasn't going to be easy. But hey, what were friends for? Hide just merely smiled as he walked downstairs with the other boy in front of him and felt some contentment come over when Hinami hugged Kaneki with tears in her eyes.

 **{….}**

 _Darkness falls on another day…_

 **{…}**

Author's Note: I don't know what to say, I've tried to fix up the details, but this is a rough clean-up, and I'm going to have to do some more rewriting. Also, I changed the ending song here because I felt this one works better.


	2. Chapter 2: Barren Grounds

Chapter 2: Barren Ground

The still silence down in the cellar could have choked them all by this point just from shock alone. It wasn't quiet because they slept well, no it was hardly that. The horrors of the night before were fresh – far too fresh – that they left unseen gaping wounds upon their bodies, minds, and souls. However, amidst the early risers already awake and upstairs due to not being able to sleep was one Kaneki Ken and Hideyoshi Nagechika. The blond was seated at the counter watching his friend prepare coffee for them. The others would probably like to have some when they got up therefore the white haired boy – still dressed in black – was preparing a large enough pot that they wouldn't have to make more. The blonde felt of the cut across his cheek from the other boy's Kagune in thought. It was deep enough to scar, but it would be small and barely noticeable. Right now it was scabbed and lacking the steady stream of blood from last night when his childhood friend had cut him.

"So, I…." a cup was placed in front of him to keep him silent as the other poured a cup of coffee for him before getting one for himself.

Since last night Kaneki hadn't talked to him – he still was unsure how he had gotten the white haired boy to go downstairs at all – but he wasn't truthfully concerned about it, what had him uncomfortable was the fact that Kaneki – bookworm, shy, sweet, timid, gentle – was no longer human but a Ghoul and a rather frightening one at that. However, Hide could not get the boy to speak now. He sighed after taking a sip of coffee.

"Man! You can make a great cup of coffee! Who taught you how too…." And that was when it happened, and it scared him.

The boy stared as his friend leaned across the counter and stared into his eyes momentarily before his right eye changed and the cut on his cheek was reopened. He had hardly felt the Kagune slice him in the same spot but he did feel the slick tongue run across his cheek to lap up the stream of blood. It sent a chill down his spine so cold it felt like ice had been injected into his veins – his mind screaming at him that he was face to face with a predator and that he needed to get as far away as possible – but he couldn't move. Kaneki leaned back, licking his lips before picking up the cup of coffee and eyeing him slightly.

"What the hell was that?!" he said sharply. Not truthfully offended he knew it wasn't done to really harm him – but he felt violated in some form – perhaps considering who had hurt him and just licked his face had been the reason for the outburst.

"Just curious….." it was a simple, and calm answer, and it irritated the living hell out of him.

"Just curious? You just freaking assaulted me! All because you were just curious!" Hide exclaimed. The boy took another sip of his coffee while leaning against the counter on the other side.

"My so dramatic…" Hide internally fumed. He decidedly did not like this version of his friend – he was scary as hell, and nothing short of being a complete smartass. However, he could see a tiny smirk gracing his features but not reach his eyes.

"You're toying with me! I am not a meal ticket got it?!" Hide stated. Kaneki smiled a little wider – just bordering on being a little too jovial – as he looked at him over the rim of his mug.

"Correction – you are a human and I am a ghoul…..now tell me Hide…..what do ghouls eat?" Hide felt his skin go white.

"Humans…." He stated in a deadpan tone. Kaneki put his mug down and politely clapped.

"Four stars…." The blonde slumped in his seat as he watched the boy return to his coffee.

"Can you drink anything else?" he asked. The boy shook his head.

"Coffee and water….the only semblancies of human life we get a taste of…" Hide frowned.

"But I saw you eat something last time we talked and…." The boy looked to him.

"It tastes horrible…..human food is the most disgusting thing I could put in my mouth…" Hide sighed a little.

"Um…..so human meat?" Kaneki glanced at him.

"Do you really want that answer?" Hide nodded.

"Guess so…" the white haired boy sighed.

"Like the best thing you could eat. It has the texture of what steak would I suppose, twice as flavorful, but just the flesh is nothing compared to an organ or two everyone once in a while….personally….I have grown to like hearts – their muscle yes but they're very good….and….I prefer thigh meat honestly…." Hide felt his stomach churn and took a sip of his coffee.

"And blood?" Kaneki eyed the cut on his cheek.

"Like sweet wine almost…." Hide blanched.

"And I thought goths were creepy…." The white haired teenager rolled his eyes.

"I doubt I would say any of this six months ago…" he sighed a little while Hide eyed him.

"And I doubt I would be wondering how different you look compared to how you used to. I got kicked by you last night and have a nice bruise – you're stronger," he said. Kaneki sighed again before raising the back of his hand up to show the black nails on his fingers.

"Not by choice…" he put his hand down and glanced away.

"Not by…..what happened to you?" silvery-brown glanced his way.

"You don't need to know what happened to me Hide….you won't like the things you hear…." The blonde looked at him.

"How bad?" the boy locked eyes with him.

"You'll find out eventually and it won't be something you'll like seeing."

 **{Later that Morning…..}**

Touka had come up to find an uncomfortable quiet in the upper level of the shop. Kaneki was standing behind the counter while Hide was looking down at his cup of coffee. She sighed and fixed herself a cup before standing near Kaneki. She glanced his way in thought – he had changed more than she liked – but in their world, whether the apocalypse had come or not, he had to be stronger to survive and he had. Touka didn't know what to think about him right then because she honestly didn't know what he was anymore. This wasn't the same boy who though naïve was sweet, shy, and so kind and warm that it had melted even her cold exterior. Now he was the cold and indifferent one and Touka hated everything about what the once black haired boy had become after the eleventh ward and all the things that had happened in Aogiri Tree.

"Well you're both unnaturally quiet," she said. Hide glanced to the side.

"I'm going to the roof to see what it looks like up top – we need to start gathering supplies for Kimi and Hide." With that Kaneki left the room and headed upstairs. Touka sighed and looked down.

"What happened to him?" she glanced up at the blonde.

"Care to elaborate?" she questioned. He sighed and glanced down.

"He's not even remotely like I remember….it's like there's someone else inside him and it's a stranger wearing his face and using his voice…." Touka sighed at that.

"That's a pretty good way to explain it. But not entirely true….Kaneki had to change because of circumstances that were out of our control…..I hate myself every day for what happened and because I couldn't stop my brother from helping that bastard that hurt Kaneki…." Hide looked to her.

"Who hurt him?" bluish-purple eyes glanced up at him.

"Someone from the eleventh ward – his name was Yamori but he went by the name Jason because of the mask he used – I don't know what he did to him….but….do you even know how terrifying it was to see him like that after we had gone through so much to help him?" she stated as Hide glanced to the stairwell.

"He cut me….last night he attacked me – but it was just to….I don't know psych me out or something…..and he reopened the cut on my cheek and licked the blood off like it was just normal and okay for him to do that then when I asked he just said he was curious….but what about?" Touka looked at him.

"Ghouls can be strange when it comes to choices of what they eat. Not long after he became a Ghoul we fought one of our own that had kidnapped Kimi because he wanted to eat Kaneki while he ate – back then he couldn't stand the thought of eating humans – so he was weak, but because of Yomo had been getting stronger….he even managed a good hit to the other Ghoul," she said smiling a bit. Hide leaned in a bit.

"What happened?" she looked down.

"The Ghoul ended up hurting him – broke his arm and wounded him by gouging his abdomen – Kaneki has an unnaturally high healing rate for even a Ghoul…..but the other one was winning…he asked me how strong I was and I had said we were matched a few years before strength wise…." She frowned a bit at that.

"So what….did you do?" Touka looked at him.

"Kaneki let me bite him so I could be stronger – I didn't take much – but he tastes different than normal ghouls…..he's half-human still despite having accepted the part of him that isn't…..that same ghoul that tried to eat him….went through hell and high water to help him get out of Aogiri Tree in the eleventh ward….but all of us were shocked because of what we saw….." again she paused still feeling an uncomfortable squirm in her stomach at the memory.

"What you saw?" Hide asked. Touka looked down and sighed as she prepared herself to remember that day.

"I didn't see the sweet tempered and warm boy that I did originally….he caught me when I was thrown by my brother….and said he was sorry….then the two of them fought…and Kaneki overpowered him just enough to where he had him pinned…..and decided he was going to kill him but he didn't – instead he did something just as bad." The blonde stared.

"What?" he inquired. She shifted.

"He broke half the bones in my brother's body – only half killing him – because he knew that though my brother had hurt me….I wouldn't want him to die…..Kaneki wasn't…..himself after that – he fought, killed other ghouls and didn't mind doing it….he stopped caring about eating human flesh too…but he's never killed a human until yesterday evening when he fought the CCG." Hide sat back a bit.

"Why would he torture someone like that? Even if he had hurt you why would he be okay with…..unless….why are his nails black and his hair white?" Touka shook her head.

"That's called Marie Antoinette Syndrome…." The two of them looked to see Nishiki standing in the doorway.

"Marie Antoinette Syndrome?" the pale brunette nodded.

"Due to high anxiety, stress, and tension of specific types – it can be normal or sexual apparently – and of course…..traumatic events that are physically brutalizing can cause someone's hair to turn silver or white like his hair is…..but as for the black color of his nails? That's hyper-extensive regrowth which can happen to someone who can regrow limbs or parts of their bodies repeatedly in short time frames," Nishiki explained.

"Like Kaneki can?" he nodded.

"He's different than the rest of us – when ghouls binge eat they do it not because their hungry but because they want to increase something – most of the time its healing, and because he has Rize's Kagune inside him his body gained the attributes that hers had in that sense….his body can take more damage than half of us could…..I've seen him take some pretty nasty hits recently – during the fight with the CCG he was slashed across the back and had his Kagune cut but it regenerated…." Nishiki sighed as he took a sip of coffee and Hide stared momentarily.

"What about how it comes out I mean…." The pale brunette ghoul sighed.

"His is a Rinkaku – it comes out at the lower center of the back just above the hips. Mine comes out at the tailbone like a tail and Touka's comes out like wings. There are some like Hinami who have both an Ukaku and a Bikaku like mine and Touka's making her a type of hybrid….but his is surprisingly strong….I have fought him before….maybe you were out cold from that one though…" the blonde nodded to him.

"I don't remember what happened….." Nishiki sighed.

"I thought he was toying with you – I didn't know what had happened to him at the time – so I was just trying to get to him and piss him off….I shouldn't have pissed off a starved ghoul…I knew better and he tore into me like I was nothing….one of the most painful moments in my life…." He explained.

"Starved? Wait…that's why he looked so pale? He wasn't eating?" Touka nodded stiffly.

"You need to remember something important about a ghoul like Kaneki – the ones who change like he did – while they have adverse control and are strong, and very skilled they are skilled _killers_ and in a state of starvation a ghoul will resort to any number of atrocities and that includes cannibalization of their own kind…" Hide squirmed.

"You're just telling me to watch your backs?" Touka shook her head.

"What I'm trying to say is that while Kaneki may not harm you like he would someone else normally just to eat – when starvation sets in for a ghoul it is a _living hell_ and he's faced it before – I stopped him when he saved you from dumbass here he was about to eat you….he beat the hell out of me though he was weaker he was nothing short of menacing and you need to remember that even though you think our Kagune are beautiful or interesting to look at they are internal weapons and you've never seen either of us actually fight…." Nishiki laughed.

"Try to find the beauty you saw in Touka's wings when she or your friend lay into someone like a savage beast," he said.

"He threw me around last night with his Kagune, I have bruises on my ribs from it gripping me – I hate admitting it but I was scared of him last night – and I hated it." The two ghouls sighed.

"Being scared…..that's a good thing – it keeps you alive. Just don't become irrational," said Touka.

"What do you mean? Like freak out if he or one of you eat a corpse in front of me?" they shook their heads.

"No, like for instance if he loses control over himself momentarily or any of us really…Hinami I wouldn't worry so much about….myself? probably not but I'm older than Touka and Kaneki who know how to hunt….if your friend has as much mental and emotional scarring like I think he does then he can easily become your worst nightmare."

Hide gulped a bit but put the information into his memory. He had to stay there – these were his friends despite the difference in race – and Kaneki needed him to help despite how he acted. He needed the other boy to help anchor him to his sanity because Hide knew – he saw it slip last night when he was attacked and again this morning when his friend had cut his cheek. For now, he needed to help him, and that meant accepting him and the damage that came with him as he was now.

 **{That Afternoon}**

"Okay, so did you see anything from the roof?" asked Nishiki as they waited for Kaneki to tell them what the outside looked like. The others were gathered in the coffee shop upstairs in the break room while the white haired boy sighed and looked to him.

"It looks like hell broke loose last night and went on a rampage – the area I could see is in shambles – but there could be plenty of places we could go to find supplies and anything else we need. Medicine, water, things to keep warm, we need to find some type of weaponry so Hide and Kimi can protect themselves…." The two humans stared.

"But we're with three ghouls so…." Kaneki shook his head.

"Your humans, we can't protect you every single time so we have no choice but to give you some type of weaponry so if there are more of whatever those things were from last night out there you can at least hold them off," he stated.

"Kaneki is right about you two needing protection. I would say to raid CCG headquarters, but we don't know how many of them survived and going in there with Hinami would be suicide." Kimi looked slightly confused.

"Why would we go to the CCG?" Touka looked uncomfortable – she would naturally, but Kaneki? He quite frankly didn't care right then – and it showed as he glanced to Kimi with those silvery-brown eyes that still made her uncomfortable due to their lack of compassion.

"Quinque steel – the type of metal made from ghoul Kagune – it would help you out, but it would also keep you safe from us in case we did start to lose control on our hunger," he stated calmly.

"Maybe we can pilfer it off of some of the dead CCG members in the streets?" the others nodded.

"That sounds safest. But it's getting colder – it's still snowing and we're going to need means to stay warm and have supplies. I think what we should honestly do is scope out the area surrounding us – just within a few blocks so we can return here if something's unsafe – but we can also find out what's going on and if there are survivors or not….it lets us know what we might be facing," the white haired ghoul stated with a calm tone.

"Your right, we have to take that into consideration. Hinami may be a ghoul but she isn't strong enough to fight off the CCG if they survived in larger numbers than us and are just waiting for us to drop our guard here." Hide paused for a moment at that.

"Then what if they're waiting outside for us?" he asked. Kaneki glanced his way.

"We're going to have to take that risk – if you think about what we're facing the CCG is looking basic compared to freezing or starving to death – and unfortunately either you or Kimi would die first because ghouls can withstand those types of afflictions a lot longer than you can." Hide nodded.

"Alright, what do we need?" Touka clicked a pen and grabbed a note pad.

"Food, water, medical supplies, two forms of weaponry that won't require bullets so a melee form if possible. Flashlights, matches, candles so we can see in the rooms when it gets dark. We also need to procure whether or not the supplies for us are going to work for a bit until we have to go hunting." She wrote down the things that were said and Nishiki looked at him.

"Well I was back there earlier, so far we have a decent supply, but keeping it from rotting is the problem. We can find a cooler maybe and fill it with snow, its cold enough that if we keep it in the basement we won't have to worry about it for a bit," he stated.

"And once that's gone we'll need to have hunting time frames for each of us in groups of two. For instance myself and Touka will go at night and Nishiki and Hinami can go in the day. That way two ghouls are always with the humans." They nodded.

"Well, shall we go explore?" asked Touka as she stretched.

"Might as well…" Kimi paused momentarily.

"What about things so we can bathe if the power stops running to the building? And clothing to change into would be a good idea as well," she said.

"Good point – we'll look for things like that in any stores we come across."

 **{Within the Streets of Tokyo…}**

"Hey! I found a store here!" said Kimi as she waved to the others. Nishiki had split up with her to search one side while the others did the same. She saw them heading in her direction – behind her was a drug store.

"That'll be a good place to find some medicine I think…."

Surprisingly, bodies weren't littering the streets, there was no sound except for the wind, and the area was barren. It made moving around in the day time easier for the ghouls they had to admit. Nishiki brought out his Bikaku and slowly walked into the store before giving it a clear. The group came in with a pleased sigh to find that there were several things they could use starting with backpacks to put the supplies in. they broke up the three girls going in one direction and the boys in another. The six of them went through scanning the shelves for antibiotics, vitamins, pain killers, fever reducers, and anything that they figured could help them.

Nishiki had found several First-Aid kits and had put them into his backpack before grabbing gauze, bandages, and other items such as cotton balls and hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol before searching for simple items such as Neosporin or Band-Aids – he sighed as he kept putting the items away while Kaneki and Hide were taking care of the medicine he was busy trying to stock up on things that would help them treat wounds if needed. It seemed simple enough, but they knew better than to think that they could just up and do as they pleased. Eventually they would be in fights and would be facing danger.

" _I just find this insane….our lives are different now – we're not even humans most of us but we're banding together to survive…"_

"Nishiki?" he looked at Kaneki who was eyeing him while he held a backpack still open in his hands.

"Um…yea?" silvery – brown stared at him.

"They have coolers here – we should grab one while we're getting these things and then see if we can find other supplies before returning to Anteiku….the girls have already gotten everything they could find that we could use," the boy stated calmly.

"Oh um…okay…I'll grab one and we can go."

Nishiki was decidedly spooked still by the white haired ghoul walking away from him. He tried to rationalize it down to him being that way due to the change in appearance and personality – but he knew it really wasn't that – a lot of ghouls had been talking about a ghoul with a half formed Kakuja that had raided Cochlea with white hair. Nishiki wasn't certain but some of the specific details had been stomach churning – devouring the Quinque armor one of the CCG members had been wearing, he had also been told stories of how psychotic the ghoul was – speaking about some form of torture and laughing in a guttural voice with a hooked half-formed mask. Nishiki could only wonder if perhaps it was something more than just stories from the ghouls.

It was as the group had been leaving the abandoned pharmacy that the ground next to them exploded and they were forced to grab Hide, Kimi, and Hinami and jump back to avoid it. The ghouls went on alert but remained in human appearance as from the area came four figures. They were in police swat unit style clothes and carrying weapons that the four ghouls knew were made from Kagune. In all of five seconds the group were face to face with a small group of CCG survivors. One Kaneki instantly recognized as Shinohara whom he had met once before in Cochlea. His form tensed as he scanned the area with the happy-go-lucky lunatic of a side-kick that most knew was named Juuzo, a young brown haired man in his early twenties, and last but not least – Amon. The group tensed as the Doves approached.

"Well what do we have here?" asked Shinohara as he looked at the six children before him.

"Ooh! Look at that one! She has pretty blue hair! And that one! He has white hair like me!" Juuzo jumped a bit before looking at the white haired boy's face before glancing at his clothes. He frowned momentarily.

"Juuzo I don't think you…." the hyper teen frowned again.

"Sorry I stole your wallet!" he said. Kaneki sighed wishing that he could relax a little – Amon he trusted to maybe talk to him – the others he doubted they would give him or the others the time of day.

"Do any of you know what's going on? We got split up from the others and…well…" the brunette stated and the others glanced at them.

"Well….we found a person yesterday – from some group – and he said that they had unleashed some kind of virus that's taken down the world and given it to them…." Amon eyed them before looking at Kaneki.

"What? Really? Do you know if…."

Amon raced forward with Doujima activated. The others felt as if they were going in slow motion as Kaneki released his Kagune and blocked the attack startling the others as he momentarily locked with Amon before jumping as he pushed the investigator back. The four Doves seemed startled as he stood with his Rinkaku stretched out in front of the others to shield them. Hide stood near Touka and Hinami while Nishiki kept Kimi close. Amon looked at him and stared as he watched the boy take in a deep breath before looking up at him. Without question Amon Koutarou was shocked. He had seen young ghouls – but the white haired one was just a kid – and he was highly stunned when the ghoul reached up to pull his mask up. Amon sat Doujima aside for the time being and Kaneki stopped.

"Wait! You told me that you wanted to talk right?" he asked. The group of humans and ghouls stopped and the Doves behind him stared.

"You can't be serious Amon?! He's a ghoul! Those people are probably ghouls too!" the black haired man sighed.

"This one isn't…..he isn't like the others – when Mado died – he spared my life. This one let me go because….yes I remember what you said Eye-Patch – you said you didn't want to become a killer," he stated. Kaneki relaxed a bit.

"Forgive me if I don't trust you." Amon nodded. The boy's Rinkaku was still out prepared for an attack if needs be.

"We need answers – as much as it goes against what the CCG stands for I want to speak with you and your comrades on this. You said someone told you what happened care to tell us?" Amon inquired. Kaneki looked at Touka and Nishiki who nodded.

"Would you be willing to actually sit and talk? I need to know – I can't risk these people's lives if you aren't willing to be civil and talk through this." The other investigators stared.

"He actually…." Amon nodded to the white haired ghoul.

"Yes, we will not draw our Quinque on anyone in your group I promise," he said.

"Then follow us – and in case your wondering – I am going to watch you… don't try anything foolish."

The investigators put away their weapons and under Amon's promise were guided back to Anteiku where though it was going to be quite tense the group knew they could speak with the four investigators because as of this moment there was no real enemy in a different race when it came to ghouls and humans because they were all being hunted. This is why adaptation that was how the world really revolved.

Without things such as money, status or other trivial things not even race mattered anymore. This was something that challenged not only the surviving human population but the Ghoul one as well. Kaneki and the others were going to have to adapt over time to the world they now lived in and just maybe the six of them can survive until by some miracle the world can right itself again.

" _But can the world really right itself? Was it really right to being with?"_

 **{…}**

 _And the light just seems so far away…_

 **{…}**

Author's Note: Chapter 2! How is everyone liking it so far? About the ending of the chapter – I have seen so many people say how much they wanted Kaneki and Amon to actually sit down and talk without fighting so I decided what the hell? I'll write it and see what happens! Now in chapter 3 we're going to pretty much have them stationary and deciding a few things for themselves. Can the Doves and the Ghouls actually get along? Or at least come to an agreement? We'll have to see.

Also, Chapter 4 is a time skip to six months after the virus outbreak. About every three chapters will be a time skip because by the end of the story – chapter 25 – the gang is going to be four years older and also going to be meeting up with some characters from Seraph of the End. This story will end and then you will want to look for this title to continue reading:

 **Seraphim Blood II: Distant Prayer**

And if you are coming in for the first time to read this series read the first story:

 **Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign**

That way you know what has been up with the Seraph of the End characters in story one so that way some of the situations and things about the characters won't seem so strange.

Well, thanks for reading.

PREVIEW:

One does not sit and speak to the wolf, no one does not speak nor enter the lair of the wolf, and one most definitely does not come into the wolf's lair to speak with it and hand over their weapons. However, in the case of the CCG Doves, they had no choice because these wolves had answers, they had something else too – the Eye-Patch Ghoul – and Amon Koutarou wanted, no he needed answers from the white haired creature – if that meant leaving himself open for the slaughter then so be it.

"Now, how about we begin this conversation?"

Chapter 3: Interval


	3. Chapter 3: Interval

Chapter 3: Interval

The coffee shop Anteiku was only slightly warmer than outside, but the investigators were lead upstairs to the staff lounge and given a seat. Touka had relieved them of their weapons almost instantly – and with some persuasion from Hide, whom they knew as a delivery boy that they would be safe – the group now sat with hot cups of coffee in front of them. The ghouls and humans in an uneasy silence. Yoshimura would be proud of the Anteiku ghouls for trying to connect the two races in some way.

Even if the world had gone to hell in a hand basket – but there was that uncomfortable silence. None of the people would look at one another, Hinami was biting her lip and holding her tray to her chest while Kimi sat in a love seat next to Nishiki and Kaneki was in the middle of the long sofa with Touka at one end and Hide at the other while the investigators were facing them and Juuzo sat in a single chair at the other end of the coffee table across from Nishiki and Kimi.

There was one problem with the investigators though. Throughout their academy days they had been told three things: One does not sit and speak to the wolf, no one does not speak nor enter the lair of the wolf, and one most definitely does not come into the wolf's lair to speak with it and _hand over their weapons_. However, in the case of the CCG Doves, they had no choice because these wolves had answers, they had something else too – the Eye-Patch Ghoul – and Amon Koutarou wanted, no he needed answers from the white haired creature – if that meant leaving himself open for the slaughter then so be it. There was a small sigh and the ghoul investigator looked up as the ghouls and humans from Anteiku got their coffee cups and took a sip or held it to get a little warmer.

"Now, how about we begin this conversation?" silvery-brown locked with Amon's dark eyes.

"What did that person tell you?" demanded the young brunette investigator.

"Can you talk like a civil person? Or do you have to scream and yell?" inquired Kaneki as he sighed and leaned back against the sofa momentarily. None of them were relaxed and he knew that needed to change fast.

"Takizawa, none of them are going to hurt you – its okay." They looked to Hide who smiled.

"Nagechika, why are you with them? You're not a….." he shook his head.

"No, I'm this guy's best friend," Hide said as he tilted his head to Kaneki.

"How? He's…." Takizawa locked eyes with the white haired ghoul.

"Not really….I'm what your organization calls an _artificial ghoul._ Interesting huh?" Kaneki tilted his head as if in questioning and Amon looked him over.

"So, you're the Eye-Patch Ghoul….I thought you would be a lot older than you look. Plus I distinctly remember your hair being black when we fought before recently," Amon stated. Kaneki sighed as he crossed his arms showing the black color of his nails – not like he could hide it anyways – and took another sip of the coffee before sitting it back on the table.

"It was not of my own volition believe me. Aogiri has its means of making monsters if you will." Shinohara felt his eyes grow wide.

"You're with Aogiri?" he asked. The boy shrugged.

"Momentarily, not with them for long – I was given the right to leave when I pleased….after I heard about the Anteiku raid I came here to help….and ended up in the thick of it and losing control…." Takizawa narrowed his eyes.

"You killed twenty-seven of our comrades!" he said with tears burning his eyes.

"You killed the only person half of us considered a father figure and took our home from us. You killed our families, forced us to fear for our lives, you slaughtered a mother in front of her daughter's eyes….I got to watch your handy work first hand on that woman. Would you like to meet her daughter?" Amon froze when Hinami stepped forward shakily.

"She's that female ghoul's daughter? The one that Mado took down?" asked Shinohara.

"She is an orphan and Anteiku was her home with Touka and us, you took even that from her…..your investigators also murdered the parents of Touka and Ayato Kirishima – I'm sure you met him in Cochlea?" Shinohara was met with those indifferent yet sharp silvery-brown eyes and then looked at the blue haired young woman.

"He was your brother? That black rabbit masked ghoul?" he inquired. Touka narrowed her eyes.

"My brother won't die that easily – he's like our dad and mom were –so stubborn that it's a miracle they haven't pissed off the world because of their own determination….." she clenched her hands in the fabric of her jeans.

"I see….and….you? Eye-Patch who did we take from you?" questioned Amon. The others looked at him and then at the teenager.

"Everything I've ever had. Anteiku was my home, my family, and all of you stole that from myself and the others. Seeing the damage you've caused….I'd say we're fairly even for the time being."

"What did that person tell you?" asked Amon.

"That they were servants of the Third Progenitor, Queen Krul Tepes, that they were vampires and their Reign had begun. I thought he was insane until I bit him and he turned into ash….the results you see outside are due to a virus that they have been slowly spreading…apparently Tokyo until last night was the _very last_ strong hold. We believe that this means the world is theirs now…." The others stared and Juuzo looked at him.

"But why was Tokyo safe Eye-Patch?" the white haired ghoul looked at him.

"Because of the Ghouls within Tokyo…because the CCG got involved and started taking down so many of us…..causing mass genocide of the Ghouls and letting the vampires slip in," he answered.

"THAT IS ABSURED! GHOULS ARE VICSIOUS MURDERERS!" Kaneki looked at Takizawa unfazed by his outburst.

"Ah take a look there – the first sign of what a pro-genocide persona is – Classification, all of the CCG and a good percentage of humans think we are only _bloodthirsty monsters with human faces._ Are we?" Shinohara looked at the boy.

"I've never met a ghoul who doesn't kill," he said.

"Second sign, symbolization – all ghouls are killers – Anteiku never killed unless needs be. In fact we lived off of suicide victims. I should know I went on a few of those runs. We're quite a lot like humans in many ways."

"What? No you aren't! Ghouls eat humans, feel nothing, they put up a façade and lie just to destroy others of the human population," said Takizawa.

"Third sign, Dehumanization – do you honestly think that Touka is pretending to love her brother? That Hinami and her parents didn't love each other? That Nishiki and Kimi – who aren't even the same species – are faking what they feel?" the four investigators looked at the two.

"I am a human. Nishiki is a ghoul – it doesn't change that I love him – that he protects me, cares for me, and has nearly died to save me. The people in this room saved my life..." Kimi said with a small smile.

"What? That's…" Amon put a hand up.

"So you think we're dehumanizing ghouls? Because you claim they have feelings?" Kaneki looked at the man.

"I cried when I bit you that night – I hated myself for it because I didn't want to be a killer! I was losing control! Do you remember what I said to you?" Amon looked down and then looked at him.

"I'm begging you, don't make me a killer…..is what you said to me….when I saw you in Cochlea you weren't that person…..you…." Kaneki sighed as he tugged on a strand of his hair.

"I didn't dye my hair – this is Marie Antoinette Syndrome – do you know what that is?" Juuzo raised his hand excited.

"You were emotionally and mentally traumatized to the point that your hair went white from shock! That's pretty epic~" Juuzo said in his strange sing-song tone.

"Juuzo…" Shinohara looked at the boy who smiled.

"I wouldn't call it that…" the man looked at him.

"So vampires have taken over the world?" questioned Amon.

"That's what the guy said before he went off the deep end and then _turned to_ _ash when I bit him_ in the throat….don't ask me if it's all true or not, but judging from what I've seen so far…it wasn't a lie." The group looked anxious.

"What now?" Amon looked at the white haired teenager.

"Shall we continue this conversation?" Kaneki shrugged.

"I don't see why not."

Amon looked him over. He still couldn't wrap his mind around this – not just the information which was mind boggling in itself – when he'd fought this boy he had been near positive that he was much older just by the strength. However, seeing him now he was dumbfounded. He had seen sorrowful and fearful eyes at losing control, now he saw something unnatural and frighteningly dark – but by his actions, his tone, and his body language he could tell it wasn't because he wanted to be this way – the boy glanced to him and sighed as if remembering something. He stood and looked to Amon and then at the packs they'd brought with them.

"Would you mind giving me a hand organizing the supplies? I have to move some of the things out of the fridge in the back room into the cellar and I know you have more things you want to talk to me about." The man stood.

"Very well, the rest of you stay up here," Amon stated.

"Excuse me? I am not going to…." silvery-brown locked onto the others.

"It's simple – questions, answers, and some assistance – I can do this easily with no harm done or…."

The boy's right eye shifted in color – the sclera turning black and the pupil red while a single Kagune slid out behind him – the boy had a small smile on his face that appeared near demonic before he settled his eyes gaze upon the investigators.

"I can make you wish you'd never seen this place. Simple, isn't it?" Juuzo eyed him while the others went stiff. The ghouls didn't mind Kaneki putting up a defensive front when it came to the Doves, but Touka hoped that he wouldn't do something dangerous again and start a fight inside Anteiku.

"One eyed…what the….." Takizawa looked at the boy and felt himself flinch.

"You're a one-eyed ghoul?" asked Shinohara in faint curiosity. Kaneki glanced at them as Hide eyed him as if he still couldn't wrap his head around it.

"An artificial one eyed ghoul – a result of an experiment against my will – I find it rather morbid that you can't trust health-care personnel in this day and age…..they do some fairly awful things hmm?" the Kagune vanished while the boy's eye remained the same.

"But….you…." Amon was decidedly uncomfortable at this point and the white haired teenager looked to him before pulling the mask still settled around his throat up and over his head.

"What did you think the eye patch was just aesthetic? It was to cover up my human eye….otherwise some ghouls like to take a bite out of you once they know your half-human." Kaneki dropped his mask back down and headed towards the door after grabbing two of the heavy backpacks.

Amon grabbed the remaining two that were clustered together – apparently one was to remain upstairs – and followed the youth down the hall and out the door before going down a flight of stairs towards the back of the shop. From there he watched the young boy go over to a freezer – that had clearly stopped working – and opened it before starting to grab brown paper packages and stuffed each of them into another backpack he had swung into his arms on the way out. Amon could only watch in confusion because of what he had expected. Some part of him already knew what was in those packages, but another part of him just felt content to observe and not voice his opinion of the eating habits of a ghoul. Soon enough both of them were downstairs in the cellar of the shop and the white haired girl was lighting a few of the candles that Hinami had found with a match before setting them on a counter or shelf to give them light.

Ten minutes later Amon was putting items into a shelf silently as the white haired ghoul worked not far from him by putting items into what appeared to be another cooler – larger and wheeled he noted – there was a faint curse before he sighed and started packing the items into the cooler carefully. All of this was highly strange to him, but he knew why some of the items that were found would be downstairs – it was surprisingly cold down here – with a few moments of silence between them Amon cleared his throat.

Honestly what was he thinking? Here he was downstairs alone, unarmed, with a ghoul that he had seen not even two days ago slice his comrades apart like they were softened butter. His partner would have told him now was the time to strike and kill the white haired ghoul known as Eye-Patch, but another part of him said to keep talking, learn more, and understand what their point of view was – something father Donato Porpora had taught him long ago – and with that in mind he had to for once follow what his heart was telling him instead of his mind; Amon only hoped that the ghoul didn't get hungry for fresh meat. He finished with his first backpack and set it aside while he began with the second one. He heard a scuffle of movement and glanced to see the ghoul was done with his first chore and now was moving to stand beside him to put items on the shelves near his.

Amon kept himself busy – occasionally glancing at the ghoul in questioning – it all seemed so normal it made him cringe. Were ghouls really that similar to humans? The very one standing next to him despite his changes and lack of consideration for most still had a part of him that carried compassion and understanding and it gave him a little bit of hope that maybe he wasn't being tricked, but the way the ghoul had reached out for discussion instead of battle as a sign of good will and not to increase the ghoul's food supply was a sign that they wanted to use reason instead of fists.

"An experiment huh?" he asked. The boy reached up to cover his left eye.

"Rize Kamishiro, a girl I liked turned out to be a ghoul – she tried to kill me and I was saved by steel beams crushing her – it changed me forever though. I was a typical kid in most ways. I preferred to read than party though and Hide who is such an extrovert it was almost ridiculous stuck by me. I started working here after the accident….it became home to me after being dragged kicking and screaming into this side of the world….and I was dragged even further two months ago…." Amon eyed him.

"Who was Rize Kamishiro?" he questioned. The boy sighed.

"You call her the Binge Eater – she called it getting stronger…." The man jolted slightly at that.

"So, the Kagune inside you is…." The boy glanced at him.

"Ugly isn't it? What I am….I'm a mad doctor's modern Prometheus…." Amon looked him over.

"Your young….its funny you don't fight like a child," he stated. The boy shrugged.

"Yomo was a great instructor….Yamori just condensed me into some kind of nightmarish thing – Jason liked playing games…..he lost his last one…" Amon paused.

"The eleventh ward's Jason?" Kaneki nodded.

"Yes, I don't really like specifics on what he did to me – let's just say that the black color of my nails isn't from polish and the color of my hair isn't dye." The man faced him and he kept his eyes down.

"What did he do to you? Exactly?" the boy sighed a bit.

"What's one thousand minus seven?" Amon rose an eyebrow.

"Nine hundred and ninety-three. Why?" silvery-brown eyed him.

"Imagine counting down by seven while your fingers and toes are chopped off….while your mutilated and beaten….imagine starving and thinking – there's a source of food not far from me….a bucket full of your own fingers….and your near ravenous….and you realize in order to escape alive….after ten days of hell, of pain….you have to become a monster…." He said.

"You were tortured….then the color of your nails is from growing them back?" he nodded.

"Look at what I am now…I didn't want to be this way – I didn't get a say and I am still hunted, still hated, still tormented…I just wanted a normal life….I got hell on earth," he explained.

"Why tell me?" the boy gave a slightly thoughtful look.

"You spared me as well – you could have ignored me that day and killed me if you had tried….and yet….look at me now – I wish you had killed me that day sometimes….but Touka would be sad, Hinami would be heartbroken….Hide would never forgive humans regardless of what I am they still care. In a lot of ways I am fortunate and in many ways this is a horrible curse...think of this as a return of the favor, it isn't much – even what we learned about what had happened to the world isn't much…." He started to stock the shelf again with the items found in the drug store.

"Am I wrong? That you're still human in there somewhere?" he received a small smile.

"I am a killer…I am a ghoul…..I have cannibalized my own kind because I was compelled to so I could be stronger – I hurt those I love. I'm not human, Touka, Hinami and Nishiki are twice as human as I could ever be now….what's your name?" the man looked at him.

"Koutarou Amon," he said. The white haired boy nodded.

"I heard your name from an interview on the news….can I ask something?" he glanced at him and Amon nodded.

"What do you want to know?" those strange silvery-brown eyes softened just a little.

"If you leave, please let us be…..I just want to protect the ones I love – I don't want to watch them die." The man sighed.

"We won't stay here, our group intends to search for others but I will not divulge your whereabouts….now….I have a question," he stated. The other nodded.

"Ask away…." Amon looked him over.

"Your name and age – that is all I want to know," he stated simply.

"My name is Kaneki Ken, and I am fifteen years old….thank you Inspector Amon, I hope I can trust your word." The ghoul – Kaneki Ken – bowed slightly in respect and he couldn't help but internally promise to keep that request and honor it.

"You and your friends can trust my word – I am not a liar." Kaneki looked at him and gave a ghost of a smile.

"Then I thank you, for your honesty."

 **{That Evening…..}**

"So, it went well huh?" asked Nishiki. Kaneki nodded a bit.

"Surprisingly he agreed to keep quiet – he was being honest when he said he wouldn't…." the others relaxed.

"That's the first time a Dove has been civil. Juuzo actually liked talking with us and Shinohara started to enjoy himself – Takizawa took nearly the whole time, but he finally did speak with us," stated Touka.

"It was worth it. Maybe if they survive they'll be the ones that can help keep some kind of peace between Ghouls and the CCG." Kaneki sighed as he leaned back against the sofa and felt his eyes become a little heavy.

"Well, time for some rest – now that we have blankets and things that can keep us warm we can actually sleep. Come on Kimi, time for bed," said Nishiki as he and his girlfriend left the room to head to one of the spare rooms.

"They have a point – Hide will you be fine in here?" Hide looked to Touka and then to his friend who currently was half-asleep.

"Yea, I think exhaustion finally set in. I doubt he'll do anything anyways," he said.

"Alright, come on Hinami."

Hide sighed as he grabbed a blanket from the side of the room where they had stored the items like that and went to start getting ready for sleep. Having already taken his shoes off and put them by his sofa along with his backpack – black with an orange zipper – that Hide looked at his longtime friend and found him sound asleep and still sitting up. He sighed as he walked over and wrapped his arms around the other boy's lithe form before lying him down and pulled one of the blankets over him. Momentarily he watched the other sleep as he himself laid down on the other sofa in the dimly lit room – two candles placed on the coffee table between them for some light. He sighed as he looked at the sleeping ghoul.

"Damn, how did you end up like this? You've changed almost too much….your kind still but it's not the same warmth you used to have….its indifferent…I don't know if I like this version of you Kaneki…." Hide said to himself as he watched the other still.

No matter how many times he had seen proof, known it was a fact that he was a ghoul now it still just didn't settle well with Hide. He tried to get his head around it as he thought back to when he'd seen Kaneki after the accident. How he had been pale, his eyes sullen, he was skittish, afraid to talk to him for some reason, and worst of all he looked so tired and ill – he had seen him off and on since that day and had seen many changes. Fear, he'd seen him after joining Anteiku and how those fearful alterations slowly faded. How he had a little bit of color in his cheeks again, how his weak, tired, and sorrowful eyes changed to what he was used to but still hid something, and how the boy had gotten stronger. He missed the shy bookworm he had known, but he also knew that Kaneki had to get stronger or he wouldn't have survived.

" _Just don't disappear okay Kaneki? We need you and I still want to be your friend."_

It was roughly five in the morning when Hide woke again. He was startled by a soft whine and felt his eyes open slightly as he glanced around the still dim room where he and Kaneki were, but it mattered little to him – what did matter was what he saw when he glanced over at the other sofa across from him – Hide's light brown eyes went wide as he eyed the boy who at the moment was curled into a tight ball on the sofa. His knees pulled up to his chest with his head pressed against them and his hands over his ears as if he was in pain or trying to hide from something like a frightened child. In worry Hide got up and went to assist his friend who the moment he stood shook his head in an attempt to keep him from coming closer. The blonde watched as the white haired teenager curled up tighter, anxiety licking at his insides as he heard a pained gasp slip past the other's lips and tensed even more. Hide slowly backed away before racing out of the room in a panic.

Kaneki was hurt somehow, and he knew nothing about caring for a ghoul therefore he ran to Touka first – she would know and actually do something – though he imagined she wouldn't appreciate the hour of the call, this was an emergency. He banged on the door for a few moments before it opened and Touka gave him a look that said she was going to skin him before she saw the fear in his eyes. He explained swiftly what was happening and she left with an order of waking Hinami, getting Nishiki and having Kimi stay in the hall with him and Hinami. Something about those orders set him on alert therefore he did as asked by Touka and soon was standing at the doorway watching while Touka and Nishiki worked on trying to rouse the other ghoul.

Neither one of them had ever seen anyone behave this way – human or ghoul – and knowing that it bothered them both. Kaneki had looked paler than normal earlier that evening and though it seemed it was from exhaustion they could have been horribly wrong. Touka's anger was getting the better of her as she looked at the boy who was wound tightly into a ball on the sofa. She bit her lip in fear as she reached out and placed her hands on him before gently shaking him. The motion itself was not rough, the reaction was an agony elicited scream as he gripped at his sides and kicked – nearly nailing Nishiki in the stomach – and screaming as if he was being tortured. The three in the hallway flinched in shock as Touka tried to get the other to talk as he curled in on himself again and once more nearly screamed.

"Kaneki! Come on! What's wrong? Answer me!" Touka said as she shook him.

"Touka….wait….Kaneki…..look at me…..come on…..tell us what…." He saw the boy's eyes give him a near predatory look before growing wide in agony as he clutched at his sides and his sense of pain grew.

It felt like being ripped apart from the inside out. Kaneki had experiences prior to this and had hoped it would have been the last of it. Pain was what had caused him to panic and fear around Hide and the others – he couldn't control this thing he had slowly started turning into – and the mere idea of him killing someone close to him especially the ones who were with him now, chilled him to the point that he felt his entire being freeze in terror. What had he done to himself? He had wanted strength to protect his family, to keep them safe from harm, but had he really been fine with becoming an uncontrolled monster to do it? Aogiri Tree had its moments where it seemed okay to become one if it granted him power, but he knew better and yet he still was convinced to do this – there was no turning back now though was there? That hadn't been an option to him since he had gone on that date with Rize Kamishiro almost a year ago and become a ghoul. It had gotten even further out of his reached when he had been brutalized and sent tumbling over the edge into madness when Yamori had tortured him for ten days – this wasn't power, it was punishment – a mere human stepping into a playground of the wicked and reveling in it. He hated what he was becoming because of what it meant, and because of what it had _taken_ to push him this far.

"T-Touka….." he felt his breathing hitch and quiver as he glanced at her with weak eyes.

"Kaneki….what's wrong?" she asked him and reached for him but he moved from her touch.

"Please….I…..I have t-to get out s-side…." She frowned as did the others.

"Why?" asked Nishiki as he looked at the boy.

"J-Just do….it now…." The two looked confused.

"Kaneki your ill, and not thinking straight, come on please….try and think about this….be rational," Touka stated. The white haired boy shot her a dark look that made her blood chill considerably.

"Take….me….out….side…..I can't….control…." the blue haired girl looked to Nishiki who though confused helped them and soon they were helping the half conscious ghoul outside.

The other three watched from the downstairs windows at the front of the building before coming outside to see what was happening. They had gotten Kaneki in the street when he had asked them to leave him there. The other two had stepped away from him, but had yet to leave – the other three watching from the sidewalk as he collapsed to the ground and looked at boy as he laid there breathing hard. His body shook with the effort it took to breathe in even once and the other two became concerned as he laid there unable to reign in the sensation of his body being torn apart as the other five watched him in concern. Touka went to touch his shoulder and he screamed shoving her away before leaning half up only to clutch at his sides while pressing his forehead into the ground as he gritted his teeth and tried to think of what to do. He knew it without question what was coming, but the others didn't have even an idea of what they were about to experience and he prayed they understood.

" _I was tricked, I lied to myself that this was fine – I knew what I was risking and what I was doing and that it was going to cost me a lot for a long time but I did it anyways…..I have to get the warning out….but I can hardly talk…."_

The boy leaned up slightly still clutching at his sides as he tried to fathom what to do for them in warnings. Releasing his Kagune could trigger it, therefore he was given two options – beat them away, or say the word that could spell disaster. Could one word do that much damage? He felt his mind working a million miles a minute as he nodded internally to himself – yes one word could do that much damage – hadn't he known that? If you were something like himself and Touka, Hinami, and Nishiki were that one identifying word could destroy your world and bring into down in flames and splatters of blood. The word Ghoul once meant death and it still very well could. His eyes rotated up to Touka and he knew he had less that a second to warn her.

"Kaneki….what….." his right eye changed, the girl went stiff in fright. Good girl, be aware of what's coming he thought as he mustered up his breath to say one single word.

"Kakuja…." And then everything came undone.

 **{…}**

 _Am I here all alone? 'Cause it just feels so cold... Oh, so cold..._

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Chapter 3 is finished! We all seem to know what is coming in chapter 4 – there will be a time skip after that chapter. After that every 3 –4 chapters will be a time skip for the sake of the story having four years crammed into it and has to end at chapter 25 so it can be transferred in to the secondary story of the Seraphim Blood storyline. Remember this is the title you want to look for when 25 is put up because chapter 5 of that story is going to continue it with the Seraph of the End cast.

 **Seraphim Blood II: Distant Prayer**

Remember that. Now, how about that sneak peek?

PREVIEW:

Catastrophe – a word meaning destruction, chaos, or misfortune. It meant tragedy, ruin, fear, and upheaval. That is what described what the three ghouls and two humans were witnessing. However, alongside catastrophe came something more and it was called insanity, a description meant lack of rationality, a lack of who that person could or should have been. That's what those eyes spoke volumes of, that what the psychotic smile and manic laughter told them when they looked at the form of their friend as he tried, and severally kept failing to reign in the thing that he could not control.

"What's…..o-one thousand….m-minus…s-seven?"

Chapter 4: Shattering


	4. Chapter 4: Shattering

Chapter 4: Shattering

"Kakuja…."

The mere word had the two ghouls leaping away in terror towards the others as the boy writhed on the ground as his Kagune came out of him and stretched as if in a spasm before two blackish colored spine looking objects came out with it and crashed sharply into the ground as if they weighed massive amounts. The resounding clatter startled them as they stared onward at the boy who struggled to his feet and swayed, eyes manic and his smile resembling something wild and insane as he laughed a little and the mask attempted to form but kept crumbling. Hinami was in a state of clear shock as she watched and Touka was little to no better as she stared onward while Nishiki prepared himself to fight and Hide got near the other two older ghouls while staring at his childhood friend in fear.

"What…..is….I don't understand why is he…." The sun was coming up and they could see it better now. Flailing about and wriggling as Kaneki tried desperately to gain control but slipped as the unruly Kagune clacked and twisted with his Rinkaku and he clutched at his head trying to figure out how to reign it all back inside himself.

"A Kakuja…..is that what this is?" asked Hinami.

"It…..no…..he wouldn't do…." Nishiki looked at Touka.

"What do you expect? You heard about that ghoul that raided Cochlea with Aogiri a few months back? Centipede looking Kagune, wild, manic, had white hair and a taste for its own kind? Ate the Arata Armor that was made from the Kagune of other ghouls? Take a good look at him – he was that ghoul," he said as the boy seemed to nearly drop before the two Kagune writhed and struck out cracking the asphalt of the road as the boy clawed at his head trying to control what was happening.

"What's a Kakuja?" asked Hide as he stared and momentarily glanced at the two others.

"This may not be the time to talk about it – we need to stop him before he loses himself….." Touka released her Kagune as did Nishiki as they prepared for the potential fight.

Catastrophe – a word meaning destruction, chaos, or misfortune. It meant tragedy, ruin, fear, and upheaval. That is what described what the three ghouls and two humans were witnessing. However, alongside catastrophe came something more and it was called insanity, a description meant lack of rationality, a lack of who that person could or should have been. That's what those eyes spoke volumes of, that what the psychotic smile and manic laughter told them when they looked at the form of their friend as he tried, and severally kept failing to reign in the thing that he could not control. The boy leaned back a bit before his shoulders slumped and his head rolled to the side in a backwards tilt as he kept the psychotic look on his face and laughed just a bit.

"What's…..o-one thousand….m-minus…s-seven?" the voice was wicked, demonic and nothing even close to the boy they had known, and it scared the five of them in equal amounts. Hinami shook where she stood as the boy spread out the Kagune as if it was a giant web of death behind him and cracked his fingers before glancing up at them.

"Kaneki…..what have you done?" Nishiki had to ask but the boy merely moved in a mechanical way towards him before the Kagune motioned into a spear like state and six spear like objects were sent his way. He dodged them feeling the dread in his stomach.

"You idiot! You…." Touka shot a crystal like shard at him and he blocked it as if it was nothing. Her eyes grew wide as a red Rinkaku coiled around her leg and jerked her sending her flying before crashing her into the ground. Touka lifted herself slightly and looked at the boy.

"My….fingers…..on the floor, my toes on the bench….my blood in a pale….centipedes in…m-my e-ears…." The boy shakily, almost forcefully turned his head to the side a bit.

Touka felt her heart skipping beats as he glanced her way – they were losing him and she could see it – Kaneki refused to speak to anyone about what had been done to him when he had been taken into the eleventh ward and something had _damaged_ him to the point that he looked like he did now. It was to some degree wicked and unnatural what she saw, but Kaneki was in there and she needed to bring him back. Despite feeling the slight pain in her leg from being dragged she had gotten up and ran for him – the Kagune fell upon her and she yelled as she tried to grab the boy and was sung back like a ragdoll onto the pavement. Nishiki had tried tackling it but had also been taken down.

"Kaneki! Come on! Snap out of it!" Touka yelled.

"Snap…" she regretting using those words when she felt something in her snap in half. She felt intense heat and pain rip up her right leg and realized that it was broken. Touka hissed in pain as she was slung away and rolled to the sidewalk near the others.

"Tou…"

Nishiki looked to her and was knocked aside into the building next to Anteiku as the boy cast them a look at the Kakuja mask began to form again. The others looked on horror stricken as the spidery Kagune in all its gruesome terror spread out again and they froze believing that they would be killed by it. Touka sat up and tried to move only to be knocked aside again as if she were a mere fly. The girl coughed up blood and cried out in pain as she connected to the brick wall of the corner of Anteiku's shop. She would die here, and so would the others and Kaneki – she couldn't imagine him forgiving himself for this – but she hated the single idea of him deteriorating into a monster. Touka knew that a Kakuja was powerful, and rare, but they were controllable – Yoshimura their manager had been a Kakuja and though he had mentioned it took well over two years or more he had gotten control with practice and that is what Kaneki needed. But most of all, right now he needed her to save him. Nishiki sat up in agony as the blue haired girl dragged herself towards the boy.

"I know why….you decided to do this…." She said roughly as the boy looked to her.

"Don't do that! Are you insane?" called Nishiki.

"You wanted to protect us….Kaneki….and I know it isn't what you wanted…you didn't want to become a ghoul….you held onto….." she coughed as she dragged herself closer. Kagune rose up to strike her again.

"Stop!" said Kimi. She didn't know if she could bear this.

"Humanity with all your strength….Kaneki….you…..got so scared sometimes….like a little child would….and you tried to see things from both sides and did…but…..Kaneki…you got hurt so bad…" she was now standing in front of him and he was listening.

"He'll kill you!" snapped Nishiki. Hide grabbed Hinami in fear that he would have to cover her eyes from seeing Touka die.

"I watched you…suffer….and you're in so much pain even now….I am sorry Kaneki I never wanted…..to see you hurt like this….I wanted you to….be safe…I hated you when I first met you because you were….weak….but I figured out something…." She shuffled closer and the dead eyes that came from the Kakuja locked onto her as the Kagune behind him spread out a bit.

"Don't!" Hinami begged.

"Your so much….stronger than I am….you've put your precious humanity….on the line for….those you love….you're brave and you care for us….your trying to protect us….even from yourself….because Yamori took away the….human side of you when he hurt you….he stole the innocent part of you that still could see and feel what humans did….I am…." She reached for him as the Kagune went downward to attack.

"TOUKA!"

They stopped just an inch from running her through. Blue eyes looked up into the same eyes she had seen the first day she'd met Kaneki Ken in an alley way barely sane from starvation. Her eyes softened as the mask crumbled and the Kakuja lost its hold. The boy slumped forward – his eyes falling shut as she grabbed him and they went down together. She wrapped him in her arms and held him tightly as she felt tears well up in her eyes. Touka rarely cried, and this brought tears to her eyes as she held onto the white haired boy. She was losing him again – this time to himself.

"Touka! Hey! Are you alright?" asked Hide as he and the others came towards her.

"I'll be fine….can we just….go inside now? It's cold…." She buried her face in Kaneki's hair and felt tears flow down her cheeks as she blinked.

" _Why am I so weak when it comes to you? Idiot Kaneki…"_

 **{Inside Anteiku: 11:45am – Tuesday, November 20** **th** **, 2012}**

The six people were settled in the staff lounge while Touka had been treated for her wounds by Nishiki and Hinami and the two humans sat away from them as Touka turned her attention to Kaneki who was lying sound asleep – or what they supposed was sleep – with a blanket over him. His breathing was a bit rougher than they would have liked and a faint flush had developed on his pale cheeks letting Touka and the others summarize that he had done something to make himself gain a fever. Their minds were still reeling, most had been in silence for hours up until this point which was near noon time they suspected and were still trying to wrap their heads around what had happened. It had happened just as fast as it had ended, but it was living hell for the five of them for every second it was happening until the boy collapsed into Touka's arms.

"What was that exactly?" asked Kimi as she looked at Touka who had her hand on Kaneki's forehead.

"It's a Kakuja – basically an advanced form of a Kagune – but it nothing like the ones we're born with." She sighed as she removed her hand knowing that his fever wasn't dropping any time soon.

"If it's just advanced then what's the difference between it and the one you're born with?" inquired Hide as he eyed them and then his unconscious friend.

"Because its unnatural and basically a mutation because of a physical action done by a ghoul." The two humans glanced at one another as Hinami sat beside Hide.

"Explain, please?" she asked. Touka glanced at the three of them.

"A Kakuja is formed – though rarely – by cannibalizing other ghouls. There aren't many who successfully created a Kakuja and didn't go insane from it. Kaneki is bordering on insanity, but if he was completely lost to it there would be no bringing him back," Touka stated simply.

"Cannibalizing other…..are you telling me Kaneki was killing other ghouls and then eating them?" Hide looked shocked, but she understood it. Touka's own shock had begun to fade only because she knew irrational thinking would only harm Kaneki and the others later. She could be irrational later, clear minded and focused was what they needed right now.

"It's actually common amongst ghouls. Kaneki saved my life from three ghouls that wanted to eat me – attempting to get stronger and failed because he pretty much cleared them away…..in some areas like the eleventh ward cannibalizing another ghoul is a near daily activity," Nishiki said.

"Common? Then why were the two of you so shocked?" the two looked at Kimi and then back to Kaneki.

"His Kakuja is nearly completely formed. Once a mask appears….it pretty much means they will develop a Kakuja. Take the Owl for instance, that was a Kakuja of an older ghoul who had developed his power over it for several years. Kaneki is in development stages….we could still see him gain a full one," stated Nishiki in a steady tone.

"So what does that mean? Why is it almost complete? Does that tell how long he's been….doing that or…." Touka nodded.

"I've seen it several times – ghouls trying to get stronger and ultimately driving themselves into hysteria – Kaneki is like I said: _on the edge of insanity_ but he's still half conscious of what's happening. He needs to learn control over it and that's not easy. Think of all the strain his body takes from it…." Nishiki nodded.

"When would he have started to cannibalize other ghouls?" they four teenagers looked at Hinami who had worried eyes for Kaneki. It did make sense seeing as the girl saw him as her brother.

"The eleventh ward is when that started most likely – ever wonder what happened to Jason?" asked Nishiki.

"What do you mean?" the pale brunette hummed.

"Yoshimura had be gathering information on Aogiri when Kaneki was with them – keeping an eye out you could say – and I found out that when he was on the roof fighting with Ayato for a short time….before that he had fought Jason and overpowered him like he was nothing even when _Jason_ brought out his own incomplete Kakuja. Kaneki tore through him and was relentless….I was told by an observer who claimed to have escaped Aogiri that Kaneki broke the chains that had him bound to a chair in Jason's well…he called it a play room…and bit a chunk out of him when he went sailing over him at top speed," he stated.

"Why would….whoa….back up….chained? To a chair?" Nishiki glanced at the others. Did Hinami need to hear this? Did Touka need to hear this? Even he had cringed in disgust at the events – but they needed to know this, and Kaneki wouldn't tell them – which meant Nishiki would have to be the intermediary.

"Remember Banjou? He said that Kaneki tried to help them escape and made a deal with Yamori – let the others go and he would return with him. Kaneki accepted….and was allowed to think that the others escaped but he….Yamori learned how fast Kaneki can heal and thought it would be fun to see how well he did with it…and it all started with a needle," he stated as he sat in the chair loveseat between the two sofas.

"A needle?" Nishiki sighed and glanced at them before looking at Kaneki.

"Are you sure you want to hear this? I have all the details – I reported them back to Yoshimura so he knew what we were facing when and if Kaneki came back to Anteiku," he told them.

"We need to know….." he nodded at their answer.

"Yamori took a needle with RC represent liquid in it – because the needle wasn't Quinque steel he had to get inventive – do you know where the one place is that a ghoul is identical to a human in every way? And is the one place that objects can pierce us that aren't another Kagune or Quinque steel?" he inquired.

"No, I haven't taken ghoul anatomy." The pale brunette glanced at them.

"It's the mucous-membrane. Or the eye…." The others nearly went paper white.

"A needle in his eye? Why?" Nishiki looked at the white haired boy still sleeping.

"So he could experience the pain as a human being – he would still regenerate his body…but at a slowed rate…..and Yamori took that as an ideal situation for Kaneki…..so he decided to play some games with him," he stated.

"Games?" he nodded.

"The one he played with him throughout the entire process was a counting game. What is one thousand minus seven? Nine hundred and ninety-three, and keep going – count down until you reach past zero and do it again," Nishiki said.

"Why?" Touka looked at them and then Hide blinked as if he realized something.

"It's an exercise done by psychologists when they study things like a pain threshold or things like that…..it keeps the psyche active and stimulated….it makes the person remain conscious under….oh my God…..no…." Hide felt his stomach flip. Nishiki nodded.

"Torture…..Juuzo was correct when he said Kaneki's hair turned white due to extensive trauma….according to the source I got this from Yamori made him count as he cut his fingers and toes off and put them in a bucket not far from him. He even at one point had blindfolded him and told him about something how senses were heightened when one was taken away – Kaneki couldn't see out of his right eye so naturally it was already bad enough…." Touka bit her lip. Why hadn't anyone told her what had happened? She could have done something.

"Then what?" asked Hide. Kimi was ill looking and Hinami no better, but they listened – it was an obligation in their minds to know why these things were happening.

"He came in one day and took these pliers and because Kaneki had already been exposed to the sound already he panicked….he started thrashing in the chair – cutting his wrist and ankles open, scarring them according to what I was told even though there's no evidence of it anymore – and stomping his feet and screaming, shaking his head and begging….this went on for days, the person told me they observed changes….Kaneki started talking to himself."

"Isn't that the first sign of insanity?" asked Kimi.

"Normally it is – he called the hallucination Rize though – it makes me wonder a bit as to what he really was seeing. Anyways, after that Yamori began asking him about this insect….what was it called…"

"A Chinese red-headed centipede…." Without knowing who it came from Nishiki nodded.

"Yea that was…..oh shi…." He froze in his sentence when he felt eyes on his back and glanced in that direction to see Kaneki watching him tiredly.

"Ah…." Touka turned to him.

"What the hell?" she asked as he glanced her way.

"Touka I…." she narrowed her eyes.

"A Kakuja? Why?" she snapped glaring as he sighed and put a hand over his face as if to brace himself.

"Lack of options originally…..I just….got messed up…." He really didn't have a better explanation – how could he give them one when they had nearly heard the full story of what Jason had done to him? Kaneki glanced at Nishiki who gulped.

"So you….how long were you….." the boy sat up a bit as he felt his body protest and he swayed only to be caught by Touka who forced him to lay back down.

"The hallucination…..I could tell you what I was hearing and seeing….reliving….about the white lilies turning into red spider lilies…and the mentality of devouring Rize who had eaten away at my mind and life for so long….I could tell you that I thought I could stay a human…mentally with a ghoul's body….and that I was wrong…" the others seemed sullen by that.

"What do you mean the white flowers turning red?" asked Hide. Kaneki glanced to the side as Touka watched him.

"I accepted what I was…I remember that….maybe it was a break down? Maybe my mind couldn't take anymore torture? I'm not sure….I remember saying to myself that I am a Ghoul and that I didn't want to die where I was….you see I realized something about myself that I don't know if most would understand…." The blue eyed girl looked to him.

"What was that exactly?" he glanced her way as she stared.

"I became an expert and letting myself be hurt instead of hurting others….and then I reversed it when I had to fight Jason….I hurt others instead of just letting someone hurt me….I defended my life…..maybe that was when I started that change….I don't remember why I even decided on that….I don't think I did…." Nishiki eyed him.

"You don't think you decided to become a Kakuja? Then what do you think spurred that onward?" he asked. Kaneki thought for a moment.

"When Jason came back to torture me and I broke free and bit him…..but….that was a day or so after he put the centipede in my ear….after that? We ended up fighting….we destroyed most of the place we were in….he transformed and I ended up attacking again….that was the first time I had actually used the Kagune without any forceful thought – it came naturally…." The others eyed him momentarily before looking at each other.

"What happened next?" questioned Hide as he listened. He felt like a therapist, but maybe that was what his friend needed – someone to listen to him.

"We fought…..it was…..fun….I enjoyed it and thought it was entertaining. As offsetting as that is….I found it exciting as well and I didn't let any fear hold me back…..I don't know exactly what it was but I know I didn't look sane….I remember smiling and laughing about it…" Nishiki frowned.

"I had intel from inside Aogiri tell me about your fight with Jason – how you looked like some psychopath smiling like you were, how you acted like you were used to fighting in harsh combat and just moved naturally….to think you went from being unsure of using anything about you that was a ghoul to a natural fighter is pretty frightening….I also heard that when Jason grabbed you by your leg you broke your leg and twisted it on purpose. Is that true?" he questioned. The boy thought for a moment.

"Oh….that did happen…..he did it hoping to hurt me…..and well it didn't go according to his plan…" Hide frowned yet again.

"What did you say? I know you….there was some side of you that stated something to him," he said as he watched the boy.

"You think that after all I've been through, something like that would hurt? I remember that….I think he got scared when he realized I stopped feeling pain…" the others paused.

"Stopped feeling pain?" asked Kimi.

"I know it sounds ridiculous…..but….after ten days of straight torture – my pain threshold was different – I didn't feel half of what was inflicted on me during the fight with him….however, that could have been adrenaline as well….I doubt it though considering he twisted my leg around to the point that it looked like a knarled tree limb. I'm pretty sure I would have felt that even with the adrenaline…." The group flinched.

"So that's why you were so indifferent when you showed up? When you saved me from Ayato?" asked Touka as she kept her eyes down.

"You asked what they'd done to me…..I didn't want to answer you because I got anxious that maybe…..if I changed to much I would be hated by people I thought as family….maybe I was right or maybe I was wrong….I apologized to you because I had to in advance for whatever I would do next….just so you could maybe tell the others I didn't want to hurt them…or anyone…" Nishiki sighed.

"You handed Touka to me and beat the hell out of Ayato – you and him fought like wild animals instead of people – atop that you also had him in a bind and he stabbed you and then you pinned him and was going to kill him but Touka asked you to let him live….so you did the next best thing…" Kaneki smiled a bit – almost in a ghostly manner.

"I only broke half his bones….there's two hundred and six bones in the human and ghoul body…so I broke a hundred and three – that's half the bones of the body – I guess it seems brutal but I could have killed him….regardless…" Touka kept her eyes down.

"Then what about Jason? What happened to him?" the boy sat up a bit and again rubbed his face with his hands as if trying to hide from it.

"I ate him…." The group went rigid.

"You….." the boy shrugged.

"I ate him….partly….I found his scent on Juuzo's Quinque so I guess that's what happened to him…he was half alive when I left him so I guess it makes sense…..he wouldn't have survived after what I did to him…..I think the worst part….may have been the centipede being pulled out of my ear….that kind of hurt more than the rest of it…." He rubbed the right side of his head as if he still felt it crawling inside.

"And what happened to that centipede?" asked Hide. He really was beginning to feel true fear in him. What had happened to the Kaneki he knew? Where had he gone too exactly? What happened to him and why? He'd never hurt someone, but this person he'd turned into – was cold and dark – nothing like the person he'd known.

"I put it in his ear….it was interesting to say the least. Yamori was a big person, he thought that mattered….it didn't…..he was scared out of his wits when I turned on him…" Nishiki glanced him over.

"So what? Did you feel he deserved what happened to him?" he questioned. Heartless silvery-brown looked to him.

"He was deserving of far worse things than what I did to him…..his end result was not my fault….it was his own for becoming too content….I survived that because I wanted to not because he let me…..he ever wanted me to choose between a mother and child on who would die…he was a monster and he deserved worse than what he got…." The others were wide eyed.

"Don't you regret doing any of that to him or the others? Those were brutal things! Not all of them were deserving of that kind of pain or…." Kaneki stood and sighed before walking past Touka and the others towards the door. Once there he turned the knob and took in a steady breath.

"I regret none of it…." With that he walked out the door. Once it shut Nishiki felt himself slump in defeat while Hinami felt tears well in her eyes.

"He does regret it…..damn it Kaneki…." Hide muttered.

"No he really doesn't Hide….he doesn't…he's not the same person as he was or…" Hide narrowed his eyes at the others.

"Kaneki is still himself – I probably would have to harden myself a good bit too in order to survive all the senseless crap he's been through! What he needs isn't judgment, he's had enough of people staring him down and saying he's a monster! What he needs more than anything…..is his friends to be there," he stated.

"Not all of it was senseless, he lied about not choosing to become a Kakuja. He had to choose it otherwise it wouldn't have happened." Hide glared at Nishiki.

"Regardless, we're his friends and Hide is right – he needs us like we need him – right now the world is in shambles we don't even know who's survived or not….we need to stick together and remain that way," said Touka as she stood up.

"Where are you going?" she glared at Nishiki.

"I'm going to talk to Kaneki. I haven't spoken to him alone in a long time…..I need to talk with him…." With that she left the room and Hide gave Nishiki a long side glance.

"She's in love with him huh?" the pale brunette glanced to the side while the two girls sitting side by side gave each other a look of knowing.

"How dense are you?" asked Nishiki.

"Apparently as dense as a brick wall – I just caught on to that one – and I pride myself in reading people. I can't ever really read either of them….they're confusing as hell even though I watch them constantly….why?" Hide fisted his hands in his hair.

He felt so useless it was almost insane. Kaneki was his best friend, he trusted him, thought of him as family and yet seeing him like this – seeing him as a _ghoul_ and not a human was eating away at him. Hide was never scared of ghouls until he'd come face to face with Kaneki who broke all the boundaries and rules and shattered every defense any of them had to hold themselves together. It had gone so wrong so easily and yet it couldn't be helped or stopped. He felt blank for the first time in his life. Like any of his longstanding emotions were crashing down. Kaneki was different than him in vast ways and always was two steps ahead or behind him – now it felt like he was millions of miles away from him in one direction that he could not go.

Even though he had chosen to remain the half-ghoul's friend despite his discomfort at the changes he'd witnessed Hide still felt a longing for his former personality. The shy, sweet natured, introverted, bookworm that had a heart of gold and a smile that could make people drop their defenses on the spot. The one who was shy and didn't do well in large groups, who shifted and had the strangest gestures when he was nervous or lied. He missed the Kaneki who corrected him that it was Takatsuki Sen – not Takashi Sen, how he would try to explain something about the author's work using words only he understood. How he would be anxious around a girl he liked and would scold him for flirting so easily with just anyone. Hide missed that person dearly because even though Kaneki was alive, and surprisingly well – his friend was gone – and a dark and strange creature had taken his place, his face, and his voice. Something had taken over the empathetic person he'd known for so long and left him with something else.

" _I hate myself so much for not seeing it sooner…..for not being there and pushing my way in like I always have to protect him….I failed him as a friend because I didn't push hard enough to see what was wrong. I missed the pale skin, the tired and wary eyes, the sullen expression, the disgust at human food, the anger and fear and the sadness….I missed it because I decided to give him space….what the hell was I thinking?"_ Hide beat himself up internally and felt a hand lay on his shoulder. He glanced to Hinami who smiled.

"Kaneki is still Kaneki – that's what you said right?" she asked.

"Yea I just…..all of this is so much…." She nodded.

"I understand but I want to be there for him regardless of who he's become…..after all….family loves you _despite who you become_ and he's like a brother to me…so don't worry about it Hide…Kaneki still cares for all of us….he's just scared too," Hinami told him sincerely. Hide smiled and placed a hand on her head.

"Thanks Hinami." She smiled.

"It's okay….we can do this…"

 **{Outside on the Rooftop}**

Touka wasn't sure what to say to him. She had never been good with words nor was she great at comforting people – though she did try her best – and this boy had stumped her from day one. She still couldn't forget the boy she'd found in the alleyway half crazed and fighting with his own body over being what he was. His mind was still human and it was trapped in the body of a ghoul and it ate him alive. She hated it, she knew it was torture but she tried to keep her distance. But stupid, innocent, _loving and understanding_ Kaneki Ken had to get closer and joined Anteiku after nearly losing Hide – she still remembered that day too when she'd seen him in a state near being a lost cause and had been beaten to hell and back by him when he was _starved_ and she wasn't. Even now Touka couldn't quite figure out the mechanics of the relationship they shared despite what they'd gone through together.

" _It's almost been a year since I met him in a back alleyway fighting himself over instincts and morals….caught between human and ghoul and taring himself apart….he's still taking himself apart just differently. This time it's the ghoul that's devouring him not the human…"_ she sighed as she stepped forward and looked at the boy who was sitting there watching the silent landscape.

"Are you looking for something?" she asked.

"Just enjoying the silence….it's strange….but….comforting?" he seemed to doubt his reason and she sighed as she sat down next to him.

"When I was little and it was winter – my dad would bring me and Ayato to the roof and let us see the stars…I think about that now every winter….it seems almost insane how long ago it was that I just sat down and did something normal…." She said.

"I understand that part fully….Touka? Can I ask you something?" she glanced at the boy.

"I guess so. What is it?" she questioned. He sighed a bit and looked down.

"Firstly, I guess its two questions…..the first one is how badly are you hurt from earlier?" Touka stared at him.

"You….it's not that bad. I've got a few bruises and scratches but I'm still tougher than you stupid Kan…" a hand touched her bandaged cheek and she stared.

"I'm sorry, I tried to warn you in time to get you out of the way so none of you would be hurt but I failed again…." Self-loathing was thick in his tone and she felt disgust rise in her. He had no reason to hate himself for that – it wasn't in his control.

"It wasn't your fault….the main point is that you tried Kaneki…" she stated.

"That still didn't stop you or Nishiki from getting hurt….I apologize. I should have left the building as soon as the pain started….I was hoping it would pass….but…." she shook her head.

"It's fine stupid Kaneki…" she mumbled.

"My second question…..am I monster?" Touka stared at the boy floored by his question. Slowly but surely she felt a familiar burn in her eyes at the question. Kaneki thought that he was a monster? Was this because of today? Touka frowned as he stared at her.

"Is this because of what happened today?" she questioned. He shook his head.

"It's a generalized question….because I am asking about everything I've done since I started this life….as a ghoul….you know I still feel guilt for putting Hide in danger when Nishiki was after us? That I still feel regret for not being able to save Riko? That I feel anger that I couldn't control myself when I fought Amon and broke down….slipped into some sort of half-crazed state and hurt Yomo….I still hate myself for those things….and that was before I became like I am now….so….am I a monster?"

Touka found herself moving and wrapped her arms around the white haired boy. She hated all those things, but she hated herself as well right then. Her arms tightened around the boy and he slowly returned it as she buried her face into his soft white hair and took in a deep breath as they held onto one another. when he hugged her it reminded Touka of the old Kaneki, the one who was still nervous about his new life, the one that was still timid and couldn't handle carnage well and how much he made her laugh – she missed that – but she still had to love this person, he was her family now too.

"You're not a monster Kaneki….I'm angry at myself for not helping Hinami's family too, for losing control so many times, for doing things I knew were wrong but did it anyways because I thought I was strong enough….I regret obeying the Manager and not going after you when they took you from us and hurt you….I regret holding back because of my brother being there and forcing your hand because I was weak….I…" a finger touched her lips and she froze as she looked into silvery-brown eyes.

"None of those things are your fault Touka – those are my sins – and you are strong, but even I don't think I could hurt or kill someone who was my own family….I don't think I would have it in me to kill Hide or Hinami, Kimi or Nishiki….Uta, Yomo, Itori, everyone at Anteiku….or you…..I couldn't bear that weight….look at me…." He smiled in a brittle way.

" _Don't smile like that – it hurts…"_ she thought as his thumb brushed across her lips and he caressed her cheek.

"I'm falling apart at the seams and I can't stitch myself up fast enough….I feel so numb compared to how I used to feel….I can't even just sit down and be myself around other people anymore….I've become some empty shell of who I used to be….I have a lot of days….that I wish I hadn't survived the eleventh ward….I…" it was her turn to keep him quiet by putting her hand to his mouth to silence him.

"If…if you died I…." she felt so weak –she hated it.

"Touka?" she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"If you were to die – or if you had died – I couldn't bare it…..either….because your…precious to me too like everyone at Anteiku….please….don't fall apart…." Kaneki looked at her with softening eyes.

"I won't okay?" she nodded as she pulled him into a tight embrace, knotting her fingers in to his hair and hating herself for crying, but not knowing anything better to do.

"Don't disappear either….you have to stay who you are both human and ghoul okay?" he smiled a little bit brighter though she couldn't see it as he reached up and combed his fingers through her short dark blue-purple hair. He had always been somewhat fascinated by how strange yet pretty the color was.

"Okay, I won't….and I'm trying….so just stay with me….we can hold each other together somehow if we all stay together…" Touka nodded furiously and held him tighter. Maybe time would stop if she wished hard enough and nothing more would take him away from her or the others. But what was she thinking? It didn't change what their reality was now, and that in and of itself was a frightening thing.

 **{….}**

 _Is there more than what meets the eyes?_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: Chapter 4 is complete! I know it had some dark moments, the conversation was long, and it seemed a little spaced and yet focusing on the emotions of the characters right now is important. Next chapter is the time skip! It's been a year! How have the Anteiku gang been doing? Oh, and yes, I had to add Token fluff at the end for the readers and myself. It was sweet wasn't it? I think Touka has that side to her but she rarely shows it except when she's around certain people – Kaneki in both the anime and manga seem to be one of those people.

Well, let me know what you think – critiquing is accepted, flames are not so please be nice when telling me what you think of the story thus far. _**Don not read two lines and give me a lengthy review on how crappy it is – I have seen enough of that kind of trash talk in reviews of other stories. Do not do it here please.**_

Now that those things have been established I'll be nice – if you will continue to read and review I would very much appreciate it! My readers are fantastic.

PREIVEW:

One year changed things, it let them grow, gain experience, learn about themselves and challenged their hearts continuously. Were they breaking? Or were they surviving? Sometimes, none of them could truthfully tell. Between four ghouls and two humans life seemed bias, basic, and perhaps a little two calm. Therefore fate decided to hand them a black card and bring out more nightmares and traumatic events for them to face in the form of beasts that sound like things from hell.

"How much can the human mind take before it breaks into thousands of pieces and reconstructs itself into a deformed, ghastly demon who doesn't know friend from foe? Or even its own name? Care to find out?"

Chapter 5: Pieces


	5. Chapter 5: Pieces

Chapter 5: Pieces

 **{Tokyo, 20** **th** **Ward, Anteiku: November 18** **th** **2017, 5:45pm}**

"Nothing's changed much huh?" asked Nishiki as he and the others settled in the former employee lounge.

"Not really….there are some crazy things going on further into the city though." The group looked to Kaneki who was flipping through a book – seemingly bored at the time while Hide sighed.

"Did you and Touka see something?" he questioned.

"Yep, a giant white four legged monster with wings and a beak that scuttles across the ground like a spider…." Kaneki hummed a bit in thought of Touka's statement.

"Except this spider is a wrecking ball with teeth and flexible cords that can wrap around you and eat you in a single bite….sounds like fun huh?" the others shuttered as the boy flipped a page.

"You know what spooks me? The idea that you're not fazed by it," said Hide as he looked at the ghoul.

Since a year ago most of them had gotten used to the differences in their friend – Hide being the one who still had his moments – but sometimes, it just seemed impossible to exactly get over the hurtle so to speak. Kaneki had been much calmer than in those first months, but by now most of them had found a routine which settled them despite having still not made contact with Yomo or the others and having not heard from any Doves either. Normally, a lack of Doves was a cause for celebration, but at this point, only a few days shy of it being a year ago most of them were not celebratory but in mourning. Tokyo was a lackluster shell compared to what it was last year before the virus finally hit and now they lived in a monochrome world full of things far worse than other ghouls or Doves running about. However, there was one thing that seemed worse than most things in their daily routine and that was the evening time boredom.

"Sorry, I just found it a little strange – it seems like the monster has some ghoulish traits – I'm wondering what they are." The blonde sighed as he looked at the white haired boy.

"You have a point….if this is something new we need to keep our eyes on the lookout for an attack. I guess it's a good thing you recalled details so we know what to expect," Hide stated calmly. Kaneki nodded and returned to his book.

"So, what exactly is our plans for this week?" the others paused momentarily at Hinami's question.

"Just keep to our normal routine and see how things go. We can't be too careful out there with those things – we don't know of they can be subdued with Kagune or not."

"Has anyone noticed something strange in Shibuya and Shinjuku?" asked Hinami. The group looked to her.

"What are you talking about?" the brunette looked down.

"Um….well I find it strange, but I smell humans over there – a lot of them – and two that aren't…normal? Is that the right word…." She seemed a little unsure.

"Abnormal humans?" questioned Touka as she eyed the girl.

"When I was out with Nishiki this morning I told him that there were humans in Shibuya but that two of them somewhere in that direction weren't normal, their scents were different and it sent a chill through me. It wasn't dangerous or evil like those things that showed up….they smell different, one of them has a distinct smell like earth and roses or blood and chocolate – the other one reminds me of that plant….mint?" Hinami looked confused.

The group since last year had been fortunate if they considered their current state. Anteiku was still standing, they had no deaths in their little group of six, they had been fortunate to find means of survival for not only the humans, but the ghouls as well. Vampires came often into the streets to keep Tokyo under their thumbs and ended up becoming meals for the ghouls when they discovered that their bodies were just as eatable to the ghouls as humans were. Hide had learned more about ghouls and assisted in helping if one of them got injured, in a recent run through the town Nishiki had found a ghoul medical book that had been in the lower half of the twentieth ward, but despite that – surviving and all the things thus far none of the other ghouls they'd known or humans had shown up.

"No sign of Uta, Itori or Yomo?" asked Kimi. The others shook their heads.

"We haven't even heard or seen any traces of Ayato or Yoriko…." Touka bit her lip.

"I'm not keeping my hopes up after a year that Yoriko is alive but…." The group remained silent.

"Touka, Ayato is probably still alive, don't give up," Kaneki said in a calm tone.

"Yea…..he's too damn stubborn to die like that…" silence befell them yet again.

 **{Roof of Anteiku: 9:45pm}**

Touka frowned as she looked at the white haired teenager now settled on the roof of Anteiku watching the dark city with a calm expression. Once again it was freezing outside – they all had noticed how it had gotten cooler since the virus broke out – but despite that Touka had still brought a thick, warm and large blanket and would come up here and curl up against the hybrid and watch the darkened city of Tokyo with him. Though it was done rarely since the admittance of breaking apart almost a year ago Touka relished these moments with the white haired ghoul in hopes of keeping him with her. She could never admit it to his face, but somewhere in the back of her mind she could feel herself growing fonder of the boy by the day.

"Always up here, when it's dark, without a coat no less….stupid Kaneki," she mumbled as she wrapped up in the blanket with him and he pulled her closer surprisingly the girl a little.

"Then if I'm an idiot why not just let me freeze to death?" Touka frowned.

"No, your….important remember?" she told him. He sighed as he placed a surprisingly gentle hand on her head.

Kaneki had a side to him that had survived the torture but he rarely showed except around Touka and Hinami – the side of the teenager that was still _kind and feeling, and warm_ – but the blue haired girl knew, she didn't have to guess that it was out of his own fear that he dared show it in front of any other. Hide had welcomed him with open arms after a short stint of anxiety and even though he had gone back to his regular silly self Hide was still calm and composed around his friend when he knew the boy was having a hard time. It had been nearly a year, but with time Touka and the others had learned how to identify when the boy was in pain from the half-complete Kakuja. Even though they'd learned, it never made it easier. Watching him in so much pure agony that he'd even once in his state of madness pleaded for them to kill him to stop the pain. At the very memory Touka knotted her hand in the shirt the boy wore.

"Touka?" she closed her eyes to hopefully keep the tears at bay. She hated that memory, and how horrible it was, how much pain it brought to her. Watching someone she loved so much collapse in on themselves like that was nothing short of heart shattering. She felt tears burn again and tried to bite them back.

"Don't break…..you promised you wouldn't," she said. Kaneki stilled momentarily.

"Of course I won't….why would you…." Touka looked up at him and he momentarily stared in shock as the girl's beautiful blue eyes brimmed with tears. He knew she couldn't stand being emotional, but it touched him that she was willing to show that side of herself to him.

"When you asked us to kill you….it broke my heart okay? I don't want to lose anyone else stupid Kaneki….don't…." surprisingly warm arms wrapped around her as she held onto his shirt.

"Touka….I won't okay? I promise…." She frowned as she found herself with her head resting against his chest. Touka would have to submit to it for now, this was the only way she could keep him with her then she would be okay with that.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she said with her head resting against his chest.

"Then I won't break this one. The people here are precious to me too Touka…." Another tightened grip that made her flush a little.

" _Am I…..falling in love with Kaneki?"_

 **{Sunrise: November 19** **th** **2017}**

Hide yawned as he was given a cup of coffee and Kaneki sat on the sofa across from him reading a book again. He smiled a bit – seldom were the days when the white haired teenager spoke to him like they used too, but he understood. If they had met under different circumstances the blonde was fairly certain that either Kaneki would have been lighter hearted about it or he would have eaten him. He pursed his lips – no, Kaneki wouldn't have eaten him, but he would have warned him in a far worse manner than what he had when he'd discovered him almost a year ago in Anteiku. He eyed the cover of the book and sighed.

"Takatsuki Sen, you are such a fan-boy," he said as he took a sip of his coffee. Kaneki was good at it and he wondered partly when he'd gotten good and these sorts of things – then again part of him did wonder how the boy held up in a fight.

"Shut up Hide…" the blond smiled.

"Delusional as ever," he stated. Silvery-brown narrowed in a decidedly playful manner.

"So, how about some training today?" Hide nearly dropped his cup.

"Training?" Hide asked him and Kaneki sighed as he stretched a bit and looked at his friend as he let a single Rinkaku out and it stretched before stopping an inch from Hide's face. The blonde gulped.

"I'm not going to hurt you Hide….stop being so shaky…" the voice was teasing as the white haired boy came over and crouched to his eye level.

"I don't like it when you do things like that! It's not even been a year since I learned this and I try to be normal but this is just…."

Hide hated it when he started to get anxious – it was unlike him, and none of the people he'd ever met in his life had stumped him like this – but then again, he had never really been able to pin Kaneki down exactly. He knew his personality, habits, and a great many other things about him, but when it came to how different the once black haired boy could be he honestly was taken aback.

"Abnormal? You've never been able to get me exactly how you do others….you admitted that when we were thirteen and you tried to set me up on a date….remember?" Hide remembered, but he also recalled something else.

"That was the first time I had seen how scary you were when you got pissed about something….but this…." Hide reached out and the boy shifted away from him.

Since that first night in Anteiku, when they had all learned the truth about their now all too real horror show of a world – Kaneki would not let Hide touch him or even get close – it was something that Hide knew was a reaction from whatever sort of hell he'd been put through, but he'd always done this same gesture towards him as they'd grown up. Ruffling the other's hair, acting like an older brother to him when he was quiet and shy, introverted – that was just his way of reaching out to the other – but he couldn't reach him anymore even with words it seemed.

"Why do you still try and do that?" Hide drew up at that.

"I've always done something to bug you just so you would smile – so you would be happy or come out of your slump – but lately….I can't reach you no matter what….what happened to my best friend? Honestly Kaneki you're like my brother, we've always been close, but this…...you….your disappearing…..please Kaneki come on let me just…."

The white haired ghoul looked down as he heard those words – his mind ran directly to Touka and he knew that his promise wasn't just to her anymore. Hide, Hinami, and even Kimi and Nishiki needed him to stay who he was – they needed him to be himself. To not become a monster, and to stay their friend. Kaneki nodded slightly, so faintly Hide almost missed it before the blonde reached out and placed a hand in his messy white hair. He smiled a little as he ran his fingers through it and the other remained still. Hide sighed as he looked at the boy before him, still and silent as he watched what the other was doing hoping somewhere in the recesses of his mind that he was still the old Kaneki inside somehow. Hide stopped moving his hand and laughed when he felt the other flinch.

"Kaneki….man…look at you….I still can't wrap my head around you even now and this side of you – who you've become is nothing like you used to be."

"I know…..that's fine….if I can protect someone I love then I'll welcome it," he said. Hide frowned.

"I'm going to stick by you like I always have then – we're brothers ya know?" Kaneki looked up at him and he smiled as he stared at his friend.

"We couldn't be more different." The white haired teen stood and he looked him over.

"Yea well, why not teach me how Ghouls fight?" Hide said and Kaneki eyed him.

"Go downstairs, Touka and the others should come too."

 **{Beneath Anteiku: 20 minutes later}**

Hinami was excited for some reason, Hide had to question the little girl on that matter but she had said nothing as they watched. Kimi was next to him as was Nishiki so he could dictate a few details to them. Touka was standing before Kaneki who had changed into the combat suit he'd worn when all of this insanity began and Touka wore something comfortable and loose around her shoulders. Hide eyed them finally getting a look at the suit his friend wore – mid back just above his hips was a gap in the clothing that made him raise an eyebrow until Touka said something and the white haired boy laughed a little and his eyes were drawn to the blue haired girl.

"I suggest stepping behind the line that way before these two do something," Nishiki said as the group took a few steps back.

"Care to see how you stand up against me after a year eye-patch?" Kaneki smiled a bit, perhaps a little too sinister for most of their tastes but it was playful at least.

"Sure, I've wanted a rematch for a while now and I owe you for the bite in the church." Touka frowned.

"That was of your own volition! Do not blame me for it," she stated.

"Alright, come on rabbit let me see how you're doing…"

Hide stared as Touka narrowed her eyes as they changed into the Kakugan black sclera with a red iris before her Kagune burst from her shoulder in a torrent of fiery red and dazzling violet. It had been a long time – nearly a year now – since he'd seen it but it was still beautiful to him and Hinami was smiling as was Kimi while Nishiki kept a calm expression, but Hide could tell he was impressed. It was as his focus was on the beautiful flaming wings belonging to Touka that he heard a sound of tearing flesh and looked to see that Kaneki was releasing his Kagune. It came out in a flush of red tentacle like objects that curled outwards before sharpening themselves at the ends facing forward around him. It was something that left him stunned seeing as he had never really gotten a good look at it before.

"What in the…." He paused as he saw Touka move and Kaneki dodged her as he slashed towards her with one of the Rinkaku.

"Impressive huh? You've never seen his Kagune before?" asked Nishiki as he eyed Hide.

"Just in flashes but never this close…." The pale brunette nodded.

"I've gotten a first-hand experience with it when he was still adapting to being a ghoul….not my fondest memories of him," he stated. Hide watched as Kaneki flipped away from Touka and the objects spread outwards like a web almost.

"He seems like he knows how to use it well though." Nishiki eyed Kaneki for a moment as he dodged again and lashed at Touka which cut her leg. The Rinkaku recoiled at that and he posed again for another attack.

"Yea, but that didn't come from anything normal like training over periods of time…..sure Yomo helped but….Hide this isn't how Ghouls fight if they just do it to survive – this is how a Ghoul fights if they've been in closed quarter combat with an enemy several times," he said as Hinami watched with Kimi intently but listened.

"How would you know? I mean I see someone who clearly has been through a lot of fighting but…." Nishiki looked at Hide again.

"Take a good look at his form, the expression on his face, the look in his eyes, look at the way he poses himself, or the way the Kagune shape themselves. You have to remember that fighting is mostly muscle memory, a Kagune though an internal weapon, it is also a muscle of some type and will adapt and grow stronger when used constantly….this is one of the things you need to look for to identify if a person not just a ghoul has been in combat before and not just for survival purposes – I'm talking a real deal fight," he stated.

Hide looked at Touka, calm, but fierce, she was swift, and moved like a bolt of lightning – but that was a downfall for her – he had learned a bit about Ukaku types like Touka and her brother Ayato were, and that while fast they also were weaker after a long period of time. However, her form, the grace she used was elegant in its own way and he found it just as beautiful as her Kagune, but then his eyes looked at his friend and he felt himself staring. Agile, brutal even, and predatory were the things he saw in Kaneki's posture, his calm expression, calculating eyes that didn't show even a hint of emotion to give him away, his Rinkaku was posed loose and in a relaxed state, but it showed a tension as well that he saw change when the boy moved upright as he flipped and dodged Touka's attack again. Hide felt his eyes grow wide as the boy smiled a bit and the Kagune shifted before curling outward almost like a set of tails and went into sharp points.

"Damn…..Touka, let me give it a shot!" called Nishiki. Touka nodded and Kaneki stayed still almost frozen until the blue tail like Kagune came out and Nishiki went after him. He moved much too fast for Hide to really see what had just happened but Nishiki went flying. He landed roughly and looked up as he ran at the white haired boy.

"What's wrong?" asked Kimi. Touka took in a few deep breaths.

"He wore me down….it didn't take long but he wore my energy down by dodging me and landing a few strikes." Hide eyed her and frowned.

"So what's the deal with Nishiki looking so anxious?" Touka looked at the fight and watched as the pale brunette froze too long and Kaneki jumped up and spread the Kagune out before bringing it down on the Bikaku in a matter of seconds.

"He's fighting in a rate that's abnormally strong – I know this is from the eleventh ward, I saw it myself….but….oh hell!"

A psychotic smile spread across the white haired boy's face and Hide paled as Nishiki swore and the boy's calm eyes changed into crazed as he posed the Kagune again in a fluidity that was far too natural for comfort. It was supposed to be like a part of themselves, but the way his friend fought was nothing like someone who had honed their skills for survival, it was something akin to a person who had fought to kill, to harm others. Touka tensed as the boy tilted his head and Nishiki spat out a bit of blood.

"Damn do you have issues? It's a mock fight, I get Aogiri screwed up your head but I didn't think it was to this extent. You need a psychiatrist bad," Nishiki said. The blue haired girl next to Hide bit her lip.

"Don't antagonize him…." She didn't say it out loud, but Nishiki had gotten the message when a Kagune came flying out and swung him into a pillar. Kimi yelped as Kaneki sighed and withdrew the Rinkaku tentacle and posed them behind him loosely again. It had Hide thinking as he watched the other.

One year changed things, it let them grow, gain experience, learn about themselves and challenged their hearts continuously. Were they breaking? Or were they surviving? Sometimes, none of them could truthfully tell. Between four ghouls and two human's life seemed bias, basic, and perhaps a little two calm. Therefore fate decided to hand them a black card and bring out more nightmares and traumatic events for them to face in the form of beasts that sound like things from hell. But this, this was different from the outside terrors, this was their friend, a comrade, practically family and Hide was getting a good look at what kind of monster he had become, if only he knew – by a single fraction.

"How much can the human mind take before it breaks into thousands of pieces and reconstructs itself into a deformed, ghastly demon who doesn't know friend from foe? Or even its own name? Care to find out?" the tone was hollow in sound, almost icy and Nishiki stood as panic shot through him.

"You need to calm down – what the hell did they do to you that screwed you up this bad? If I recall you were mighty calm during the remainder of the fight with Aogiri and even with the CCG. So what's got you so wound up?" Nishiki asked as he looked at the boy.

"Nishiki, you know what I've been through – what Yamori did….but do you really know? How badly it hurt….run me through with your Kagune go ahead, I hardly feel it….I'm screwed up your right…..but I can't change….that side of me died in that little fuck up's play room….I might be human partly….but my body stopped accepting that fact a long time ago…..when I started needing human flesh to survive, when I was nearly driven insane from starvation…..when I tried to kill myself and broke a kitchen knife because I couldn't pierce my skin….when I met you the first time….when I fought for Hide's life and my own….or when I fought Amon and lost control of what I had become…..i resigned myself to this reality long before Yamori got to me…" ruby red Kagune spread out and shot forward causing Nishiki to dodge it swiftly. He felt one graze his side and hissed as it drew back.

The four others standing on the sidelines were paralyzed as they listened. Hinami felt her heart ache at the words, this was her big brother, sweet and kind – but he was hurting and she saw it despite the façade he put up that though he was nearly lost in his own darkness he was scared. She wondered if the others saw it too. Kimi was crossed between feeling sorry for the boy and being scared. She had met hostile ghouls before, but this was one of the people who saved her life, who helped her understand ghouls more, and she was watching him fall apart – Kimi was human, and compared to the white haired boy she was brittle and far too weak to do much for him, but being understanding and considerate of the things he'd had to face since a year ago would be a good start as she tried to help. Nishiki yelped as he realized that he was in for a world of pain when a Kagune grabbed him by his leg.

"Caught you…" he was thrown into a wall and he screamed in shock and pain before he felt himself still. The voice was off, it sounded mixed, muddled in with another's. His eyes narrowed.

"Rize…." Kaneki paused as did the others.

"You heard that didn't you?" Nishiki looked at the boy who kept his face down just enough for his bangs to shadow his eyes.

"How could I not? What the hell was that?" the boy shrugged.

"It happens….Nishiki….hmm…..I don't want to fight anymore…" the voice was quiet, almost disoriented in sound. Hide eyed him as the Kagune disappeared in a red mist and the pale brunette walked steadily towards the other.

"How does it happen?" the other shook his head.

"It's always happened Nishiki….I made up Rize in my head…..so I could blame her for things I can't handle…I'm still doing this….because I'm just a filthy blood soaked monster…..you can see that…..I'm a fool for even thinking that I could really be around people and not snap again…..I'm sorry…..I didn't mean to hurt you or Touka…." The boy walked past Nishiki and the brunette looked slightly at the boy as he walked up the stairs and Hide frowned as he thought of the words.

"Dissociative identity disorder?" he offered. Nishiki shook his head.

"Coping mechanism. Rize is kind of like the imaginary friend who takes the wrap if something goes the opposite of what you want it too….if you consider how he got dragged into this mess…it makes sense that he would come up with something like this just to find a means to hold onto his own sanity….that little slip up of his voice? It's an activation of the secondary set of vocal cords that humans and ghouls have…" Kimi frowned.

"But how would that sound like this Rize girl?" Touka looked at Nishiki who sighed.

"Because, if you learn how to do it you can make all sorts of strange sounds that shouldn't be humanly possible. Considering what happened, and that he slipped up in his concentration, probably another bought of the Kakuja trying to wriggle out – he just did it on impulse. I've seen a few cases when working with an old friend in the psych ward to practice that field for a few days, see if I wanted to do that…but anyways….the few cases I saw did this with their voices when they became anxious," he said simply.

"Wait are you saying he did that because of an anxiety attack?" Nishiki hummed in thought.

"More than likely if you consider the fact that he would have a form of post-traumatic stress disorder – that would be reasonable as well….if Kaneki were completely insane or even had a form of DID or was schizophrenic he wouldn't be like he normally is. His few moments are panic induced symptoms…..he's trying to heal himself from the trauma and he's stumbling." Hide sighed.

"So I guess we need to help him get over this right?" he asked. Kimi shook her head.

"The symptoms may lessen, his moments of anxiety may even near vanish but he's never going to be completely recovered…..you don't bounce back from these kinds of things completely." That in and of itself was a saddening aspect. But as the other's talked Touka slipped away and up the stairs. She had heard enough, her concern lied with the boy who was the topic as of current.

 **{In the upstairs of Anteiku}**

Touka found him curled up in a corner of a dark room – dim due to a lack of light that only came from the sun outside – he refused to look at her, his eyes were downcast as he rested his forehead against his knees. She'd seen this before, a long time ago it felt like. Touka took in a deep breath before walking into the room and shut the door. She stepped up to him before crouching and reaching out. He flinched as she placed her hands on his head and felt her heart throb in her chest – pained by the idea of him hurting like this – she wanted to hate herself for it, but she just couldn't.

"Don't do this…..your shutting down again…" she felt him shift a bit.

"I don't know if I can do this Touka…..I don't know if I can live with them looking over their shoulders….I hurt you and Nishiki again and I could have stopped it this time but I….." she shook her head and sighed as she slipped her arms around him.

"You dumbass, look at me," she said as she felt him move and look at her faintly.

"Touka…." She frowned.

"Don't break, you promised….remember?" he sighed.

"I don't want to fight anymore…." Touka realized what those words meant and she slapped him.

Kaneki felt pain rip through his cheek as she slapped him. He felt the pain ease almost instantly and the girl nearly cried when he looked down instead of facing her. Hands grabbed his shoulders and Kaneki was met face to face with the girl's teary eyes as she felt the hot tears slip down her face and she jerked him forward. It wasn't an ideal event for either of them when Touka pulled him into a harsh kiss. It wasn't even remotely done out of the fact that she loved him, but out of frustration and it was evident when she probed deeper, biting at his bottom lip and deepening the kiss until he responded and did so just as inhospitably.

Blood dripped down the corner of Touka's lips as she tugged at his hair and he gripped her hips and waist making the kiss more of an action of emotion than anything else as she pushed and he did the same until they were on the floor and she was clawing her fingers down his back as the kiss continued, growing rougher and twice as animalistic in the actions that followed. But it was something that for some reason they both needed. Touka felt surprisingly warm and soft lips trail down to her throat and collar bone where a painful bite was given to the skin there as she jerked him back up and kissed him again as bruises formed on their lips and on her waist and blood was exchanged and they were left breathless and in a near carnal haze in the moment that they finally pulled away from one another.

It still wasn't enough, Touka pulled him down again getting an instant response as she ran her hands down his back, feeling out contours and the tense muscle and soft skin as she bit his lip again and he growled at her before jerking away only to be gripped tighter and force into another kiss. He hated it, it wasn't anything like Touka to him. It wasn't done because of how she really felt or even something like it – it was full of lust instead of compassion and it made him nearly ill. But if he were to be honest with himself he couldn't stop it either. That was until the door opened and they were both found in that state of near feral haze by none other than Hide who only gaped at the two of them as they pulled close to one another and cold eyes locked onto him as Touka licked the side of his mouth free of blood.

" _Just what is happening to us? Are we coming undone?"_

"I-I…..um….." Hide was pale, his eyes less than calm as he stared onward at the two of them. The Kakugan present, blood smears and bruises. They looked less human and more animal by the second.

"Hide….just walk away…" the blonde nodded and shut the door before standing in place at the door as he heard the events of what he had interrupted resume. A wild sounding growl and the harsh hisses of teeth biting into tender flesh.

"I should stop them…..they'll regret it….but…." his mind reviewed the image of Touka licking the blood off of the corner of Kaneki's mouth and the wild look in both their eyes.

" _I can't stop them because they're not humans….I would be getting in the middle of something that I cannot control….come to your senses before you do something you both regret guys….come on…."_

Hide walked away unsure of what to think or feel about the situation while inside the room Touka had learned an important fact about the white haired boy. He wasn't anything short of brutal at this point but in her own haze she hardly cared when he bit into her shoulder lapping up the blood and tearing into her pale skin. She pulled him out of the way and kissed him again while nipping at his lips and tasting metallic blood on his tongue. She hadn't been sure what had caused this, but she felt it was some form of an instinct that they and humans shared – when overthrown with emotion they reached out to someone else in different ways. Touka pulled him away from the bite wound on her shoulder again and looked into his mismatched eyes before moving to his throat where she left a bite mark that hardly stayed long enough to count until she felt the bruises on her sides throb and she continued her trail of painful bites just as he was. It was better if she didn't think about it, and she chose not too for the time being. But she saw what Hide's eyes were telling her and in some way he was right, and yet another part of her protested that. If Touka were honest with herself – she just didn't give a damn right then, the person she had started to fall in love with had his attention on her only no matter how feral it was. She was okay with that for now.

" _Just don't break…..even if I'm giving myself over to you in pieces as you are me….don't break."_

 **{…..}**

 _Something higher keeping me alive..._

 **{….}**

Author's Note: I know what it looks like, but it's not quite what you're thinking. I promise….though I do summarize that Ghouls would be less gentle in things like that if you consider their nature can lean more towards an animalistic side from time to time. But I swear the rating wasn't pushed guys! No worries, just awkwardness later.

I had to get the relationship between the two of them moving. But I admit I am used to writing vampire stories, so….Ghouls…..aren't so hard for me to work with.

Well, here's the Preview:

Without question they both were a little ashamed of being so lost in their own instincts to not even notice the gravity of half of their situation they had put themselves in. it wasn't anything as drastic as it had looked when Hide had come in, but they both were having a hard time admitting to it personally as well as with one another. Blue eyes looked to slivery-brown and she sighed.

"I want to admit something…..but I don't know how you'll take it after what's happened….I….need to apologize first…" a hand touched her hair and she stared as he leaned close to her so his lips were against her ear.

"Don't apologize for something you aren't sorry for Touka-chan…" she knew it was different from the second it started, and now she had further proof of how different he was from those that once made up her world. How pitiful were they really?

Chapter 6: Choices


	6. Chapter 6: Choices

Chapter 6: Choices

 **{Room inside Anteiku: November 20** **th** **, 2017}**

Touka gave a small hum of thought as she looked at the boy sleeping beside her. Both their clothes rumpled and hair disheveled, lips slightly bruised and stained with blood. Touka felt her sides ache again from bruises, and her fingers had blood on them as well she noted. What had gotten into her exactly? She looked at the boy lying asleep against her – both of them had acted so out of character in that moment, lost in their haze and she was confused as to why she had been so harsh with him to begin with and why he had followed into it. Touka was thankful the hadn't done much more but needless to say she figured out more about ghouls in and of themselves, she groaned a bit as she felt Kaneki move a little so that his head was lying on her chest over her heart. She was such a sadistic idiot. They could have hurt each other worse than they had already and the white haired boy would have let her.

Slowly but surely she heard him waking up and he glanced at her as she stared down at him in questioning. Silvery-brown eyes were hazy and slightly disoriented until he locked eyes with her and then his cheeks went red as he looked away and moved to sit up. Touka sat herself up and watched him – he was embarrassed, it was understandable because she was as well. Without question they both were a little ashamed of being so lost in their own instincts to not even notice the gravity of half of their situation they had put themselves in. It wasn't anything as drastic as it had looked when Hide had come in, but they both were having a hard time admitting to it personally as well as with one another. Blue eyes looked to slivery-brown and she sighed, at least he was looking at her.

"I want to admit something…..but I don't know how you'll take it after what's happened….I….need to apologize first…" a hand touched her hair and she stared as he leaned close to her so his lips were against her ear.

"Don't apologize for something you aren't sorry for Touka-chan…" she knew it was different from the second it started, and now she had further proof of how different he was from those that once made up her world. How pitiful were they really?

"I need to apologize though because I dragged you into it because I got angry – nothing else," she said. The boy pulled her into his arms and he sighed a bit as the girl rested her head on his shoulder.

"No need….I figured it out a little ways into it but I didn't think about it either so….we're both at fault….and Hide is probably traumatized – we probably looked frightening to him." Touka felt her face burn at that.

"Sorry…I…." he tilted her head up with gentle fingers on her chin.

"Don't apologize – we didn't do anything that was like what he's thinking so you have no reason to be sorry I understand why you did it Touka," he said. The blue haired girl sighted a little as she listened to his heart beat.

"So how are we going to talk to him?" Kaneki frowned at that.

"I'll talk to him about it okay? There's no reason for you to get riled up or embarrass yourself over something you didn't do and Hide has a problem with exaggeration," he told her and she closed her eyes.

"Okay….but what about your shoulder are you okay?" he glanced at her.

"Should I be asking you that one Touka?" the girl looked red as she stared at him before sighing.

"I'll be fine, for not doing anything we were rough, you have bruises." She reached up and brushed her thumb across his lips.

"So do you…." again embarrassment set in. Touka huffed as she curled closer to him.

"I wanted to tell you that I have feelings for you idiot Kaneki," she mumbled. The boy placed a hand on her head.

"In what way?" Touka looked down again.

"I think I might be…..starting to fall in love with you….." the person holding her froze. There was a small hum to let her know that he had heard her before he pressed his head atop hers.

"Why would you love something like me? I'm….not a person worth that Touka…I'm just a monster…." The girl sat up.

"No you're not!" she kissed him again and he flinched as she pushed him over, knotting her fingers in his hair. Sharp teeth bit into her bottom lip and she growled a bit as he gripped her hips before sliding his fingers under the hem of her shirt. He stilled and looked at the girl.

"Do you want to continue like last night? Touka?" his voice was mellowed, fine with her choice regardless of its result with him. She frowned and leaned back before narrowing her eyes.

"If I wanted to would you stop me?" she asked. He looked at her a bit tiredly.

"No, if I didn't want this too then I wouldn't have done anything – I would have pushed you away yesterday when you kissed me." Touka watched him carefully.

"If I said no?" she inquired.

"Then you said no and its fine….whatever you choose to do Touka I'll just stay by you…..if we stay together we can keep ourselves from falling apart."

"Idiot Kaneki…..why did it have to be you?" she asked as she looked into his eyes.

"I don't think I have that answer Touka – you have to decide that for yourself."

"I know…but I'm…I don't know what to decide or even what my choices are," she said softly. His hand came up to cup her cheek and she stared into silvery-brown eyes.

"You're smart Touka you'll figure it out."

 **{In the front room of Anteiku: Later that morning}**

Hide sat with a cup of coffee present as he looked around the silent room recalling fond memories until he heard the door open and saw Kaneki walk out. He looked tired, but that hadn't changed much. Hide personally was having a hard time looking at the other boy as he grabbed a cup from the shelf and made himself a cup of coffee as well before looking at the other momentarily. Hide was not quite traumatized, but he most certainly was embarrassed from the entire event. Walking in on the two of them like that – his mind gave him a wonderful replay of the scene of the two of them latched onto one another, lips bruised and brushed with blood as fresh blood slid down the corner of his friend's lips and Touka licked it away, the wild look in their eyes. Hide couldn't fathom what would have happened had he walked in earlier or later in the midst of whatever may have happened. He sighed and glanced towards Kaneki who was taking a sip of the hot coffee before glancing at him as well.

"What? No jibes?" Hide sighed again.

"I don't know what kind of joke I'm supposed to come up with for a situation like the one I walked in on," he said. Kaneki huffed a bit.

"Do you think we…" Hide shook his head fast.

"I don't want to hear it! I don't think I want to hear that kind of thing coming from you of all people!" he said adamantly. Kaneki laughed faintly.

"That was interesting…" Hide paused as he looked at the boy.

"Jerk!" Kaneki rolled his yes.

"You were the one who normally would embarrass the hell out of me with dating advice and trying to pick up girls….you tried that with Touka as well….so….what are you going to do now?" Hide looked down in thought.

"Listen, I walked in on something I shouldn't have I get that – it was scary as hell to see something like that and you two hadn't done anything….it was the way you _looked_ that spooked me," he answered. Kaneki hummed in thought as he crossed his arms over his chest after setting the cup down.

"The way we looked….we probably looked like monsters to you…." the blonde looked up in shock.

"It wasn't that! It was freaky because of the blood but…..are ghouls normally….when they…." The white haired teen shrugged a bit, flinching at the twinge in his right shoulder.

"I don't know – you'd have to ask someone like Nishiki about that one…" Hide sighed as he looked at the other. He could deal with his best friend since grade school being a Ghoul, he could deal with the world coming down as it had a year ago, but he didn't know why he couldn't seem to deal with the scene he'd witnessed.

"Damn it! Why is it so hard for me to figure you out of all people?" he asked. Kaneki paused.

"What are you going on about now?" Hide looked down.

"Look….I can take you being a Ghoul in fact man I think it's freaking cool as hell! You're an amazing fighter, your Kagune is the strangest thing I've ever seen but it's just as amazing as Touka's! I can take the fact that the world we know is over and has been since last year as of today! But what the hell am I supposed to think of my friend – the one who's a stuttering, blushing mess about anything intimate in nature – kissing one of my other friends, but looking as if the two of you were…about…." The white haired boy sighed in dismay. Hide could have multiple sides to him – most of the time it was the comical, happy-go-lucky observant and sincere side, but at times he would get the irrational one – like right now for instance when he thought about it the other boy was strangely uncomfortable about this situation.

"Is the idea of me being in an intimate relationship that mind numbing to you?" the blonde gaped.

"No! I would say good for you! But this has something inside me feeling uncomfortable – it didn't look right," he said. Slivery-brown gleamed in understanding.

"Because it wasn't….what was happening between us was emotional and stress related….we got lost in our own fear of it all, the anxiety of this world took its toll on us and we were overwhelmed. I felt it the minute she kissed me….it wasn't because she had any affection it was lust and that was it." The words tasted bitter in his mouth, worse than the taste of any of the ghouls he'd eaten, and even human food hadn't been as bad as this.

"Just lust? But the two of you….didn't…." Kaneki shook his head.

"No…..I don't know if we came to our senses or calmed down enough to think….I just remember pulling her close and closing my eyes…..it's….more instinctual for ghouls I know that much….its carnal instead of just pure emotion…I'm glad we stopped before something worse happened," he stated.

"Kaneki…do you love Touka?" Hide stared at the boy who momentarily looked uncomfortable.

"She said she thought she was falling in love with me but wasn't sure….I guess I'm the same way – I care for her, but I don't know if those feelings are love," he answered calmly.

"You worry me still…..looking at you now I wonder what's become of the shy bookworm I knew." Hide smiled softly as he eyed the boy. They had found clothing in an old department store and had gotten what they'd need for the warmer and cold weather. Currently being winter they all were dressed to keep from getting chilled – he was in a green sweater with jeans and light brown boots to keep warm while his friend was still dressed in black. He looked down a bit noting how menacing he looked even just standing there talking with him.

"He died….in a torture chamber with a psychopathic ghoul clipping his fingers and toes off, jabbing a needle into his eye, putting a centipede in his ear….pushing him to the brink of oblivion….he died and then came back as something different than the person everyone knew…..it's funny…I still remember those sad eyes every time they'd look at me," Kaneki mentioned as he picked up his cup again and took another sip in thought.

"Why were they said when they looked at you?" inquisitive as always, Kaneki momentarily smiled in a ghostly manner before locking eyes with his friend. Hide waited calmly for his answer.

"Because they were too late…..I'd already been taken apart at the seams and sowed back up…..I wasn't the person they knew anymore…." He looked down a bit and Hide sighed.

"That's silly though." Kaneki looked up.

"How is that imprudent?" the blonde laughed.

"There's the famous _big word insert_ you're like a dictionary. Some things about you have changed like your hair and nails changed color, your eyes are a little colder….but I still can see you even when I have my moments where I wonder what happened to all of the person I was used to knowing – but you are still as far as I'm concerned Kaneki Ken, my friend, a comrade, a teammate and family member to us now that we're all we have. You mean a lot to me and the others….they weren't sad because you'd become different, they were said because they knew you were in pain," Hide told him. There, he realized, he'd pinpointed Kaneki for the first time in his life.

"Maybe so….I made some pretty big mistakes Hide – you don't know how bad they were…I kind of hope that maybe being here will help me atone for the sins I've committed." The blonde looked him over.

"You can be such an anti-hero it isn't even funny….your so kind but you can be ruthless and lack the morals of the typical hero….just don't martyr yourself for us or anyone….Touka couldn't take loosing you," he stated. Kaneki smiled a bit.

"Thanks Hide….I appreciate the concern…." The blonde nodded.

"By the way? How was the kiss?" Hide watched the other boy stare at him wide eyed and flush faced.

"W-We…..well…..it kind of…..hurt to be honest…" Kaneki touched the side of his face and then his lips which were still a bit sore but the bruising and signs of anything done were long gone by now.

"But you liked it. You touched your cheek and then your chin when you touched your lips – you are trying to hide the fact that you liked it!" Hide laughed a little and felt some relief in him, seeing that gave him some peace. He had been right when he thought that some of his friend's old self still was inside him somewhere, but buried deep.

"I….well….if I didn't feel something for her I probably wouldn't have…." Hide nodded.

"Have continued or let it get to far? Yea I get it – but the next time the two of you do something like that please lock the door. Imagine if it had been Hinami that walked in and not me?" the white haired boy blanched.

"That would be a mess…..but…neither of us really planned on that happening," Kaneki told Hide. The blonde nodded.

"Its fine now….go talk to your lady. Kimi and I have to do an inventory to see what we'll need you and Touka to get when Nishiki and Hinami return from hunting." With that Hide went up the stairs and Kaneki sighed.

"My lady huh?" he sat the cup down that was in his hands and walked up the staircase.

 **{Touka's Room: 9:47am}**

The blue haired girl frowned as she sat curled up on her bed. Her mind had done her no favors for the past hour when she was certain that Kaneki was talking with Hide about the entire fiasco. Touka wondered why she kept replaying the event in her head from the second she walked into the room to the time he'd left after their conversation. If she were to be blunt it was because her sides still hurt and she was reminding herself of why, but while being blunt was her nature, it would have been a _lie._ Seeing him tearing himself apart like he had only persisted to make her anxious and then scared. The fear was short lived when she'd looked into his eyes and gotten pissed by something he'd done she hardly remembered now – that was what caused her to kiss him and be so rough.

She sighed and rubbed her temples – Kaneki wasn't weak anymore and he most certainly wasn't a push over. Anyone around him could tell he was strong and even _deadly_ the air around him was different than before – darker, colder, more blood thirsty than what she remembered of the black haired boy who had been shy and tried to appease her aggressive nature. In the eleventh ward he had been different from the second she saw him – his entire persona was gothic and frightening. She remembered asking him if he was even Kaneki or just someone she had mistook for her friend. Touka remembered being cradled in his arms and how she felt her pain vanish in a heartbeat, the comfort he gave her even as she was handed over to Nishiki who was just as confused about his appearance as she was, and then Ayato had fought him and she had internally begged for them both to stop before they got hurt. She remembered her heart breaking in pieces, cracking a bit every time she heard her brother scream and Kaneki went about breaking a hundred and three bones in his body and stating it would only half kill him.

She hated that memory because when she looked at the person she'd grown to care for, his innocent and shy smile, warm eyes, anxious personality and his kind, caring ways had been lost. The icy, dead pools of silvery-brown were all that was left of his soft eyes that were always so calm but innocent, his anxious personality had been tossed aside and left as someone who knew what they were and owned it, and one of the worst results of the eleventh ward had been the loss of his kind smile, now the smile was brittle or ghostly and never reached his eyes. And the innocent presence he had was gone as well – it had become dark, tainted with bloodshed.

"Idiot….when I said get stronger…..I didn't mean become someone I didn't notice when I saw you…." there was a knock at her door.

"Touka?" a calm tone spoke through the wood and she sighed as she walked over to the door and opened it to see silvery-brown eyes staring at her.

"Yea?" the boy sighed.

"Can we talk?" he asked. She frowned.

"Why? I thought that you didn't….." he leaned forward and brushed his lips against her ear. She flushed despite her efforts.

"I need to talk to you okay?" she nodded slowly and stepped back long enough for him to get into her room before shutting the door. Touka eyed him momentarily. Why did he want to talk to her? Did Hide react badly? Did he tell Nishiki or Kimi? What about Hinami? Her mind raced momentarily until a hand reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"What did you need to talk to me about?" she waited for an answer but instead she received a small smile as he caressed her cheek.

"We know there's no need to apologize for what happened right?" he asked. She stared.

"Duh! Idiot! We already talked about that! What? Did you just need me to confirm it for you idiot Kaneki?" she watched him smile again in a small manner before moving forward and reaching out as he did she felt his arm wrap around her waist and pull her too him.

"What if I said that I wanted to talk about what happened?" silvery-brown eyes looked into her bluish-purple ones.

"I-I don't know! What is there to talk about? We just kissed is all I mean…." Again she was pulled closer.

"Are you okay with it just having been a mistake? Touka?" she stared at him momentarily.

"It was a mistake okay? I got angry and did it out of impulse not because I….I…" she flushed and looked down.

She did it because of an impulse, not because she was in love with him? That was a sorry excuse and she knew it. She did it because she was scared that Kaneki was slipping out of her reach like he had been for so long. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she told him it was nothing more than an impulse, there was no feeling behind it besides lust. Would she lose him? Without even thinking she knew it would crush them both under the weight and she couldn't risk it. If he already knew how she felt then she needed to stop dancing around the truth and admit it – be a grown up and act like a big girl instead of hiding and crying about it like some defenseless child.

"Is that really the truth? If it is its fine….but I need to know if what you did and said yesterday and this morning is just impulse or if it's something more than that," he told her.

"You know what I told you so why make me say it again?" she glared and he sighed before cupping her cheek.

"Because I need to know what you're feeling – you feel like you're scared, and Touka is never scared….you've always been strong and brave so why do you feel like a glass doll all of the sudden?"

Touka bit her lip before feeling anger rise in her. She gripped the front of his shirt and jerked before throwing him down against the bed. She was on him in an instant pinning him down and staring at him in anger. Touka knew that he wasn't dense, he was remarkably intelligent – it somewhat spooked her at times he could be so perceptive – but she was once more confused by the boy. He watched her calmly even though she had just thrown him and then pinned him onto her bed as if she was going to hurt him. He watched her with an eased expression. It was unnatural, she looked down as she clenched her hands on his wrists which were beside his head. Touka kept her face hidden with her bangs as she tried to figure out what to do, what to say to this person who scared her and confused her.

"I'm not a glass doll….I can take care of myself and I'm strong….don't undermine me Kaneki Ken you hear me?" she heard a rustle of fabric and he glanced her way – she could feel it.

"I know, and I'm not calling you one – I'm just saying that you're acting strange." That was it.

"Me? What about you? Hell do you know what people said about you after you ran off? That you were dangerous, you were heartless, a killer, a monster, a cannibal….that you weren't someone you'd dare cross unless you wanted to die! What did I think when I heard all that about you of all people? I kept telling myself that you weren't like that and then you…..attacked Cochlea and there were those stories about a Kakuja….if anyone isn't acting normal it's you! Dumbass!" she snapped.

"Touka….I had reasons for doing those things and I just wanted to…." she shook her head.

"You aren't a martyr and if you try so help me I'll make you wish you'd never let the idea cross your mind! Why the hell did you have to change? Why did you become so messed up?" she felt her eyes burning.

"I didn't want this…but I decided a long time ago that if I could I would do all I can….be a scapegoat or even die for those I loved. My resolution failed, all those who died, it still hurts me to think I've let so many down….but you're the one I'm most concerned with failing Touka…Hinami, Hide, Nishiki and Kimi are my secondary worries when it comes to you because I know that Kimi will be okay, so will Nishiki, Hide and Hinami are close and he can keep her safe…so my concern is on you because I feel that your scared." She drew a fist back and slammed it on his chest open palmed when she lost her resolve to hit him.

"I don't need you to be concerned with me idiot….I don't care if you think I'm fragile or…." He cut her off.

"I never said you were fragile Touka – I said your behavior scares me because your eyes are wavering in emotions when they used to be strong…." She gritted her teeth.

"Do you know why?" she asked. The boy looked to the side.

"It's because of me isn't it? Because of what I became after the eleventh ward?" she nodded nimbly, almost to faint to be noticed.

"You….became someone I didn't even recognize at first….you had to speak to me for me to recognize who you were….i didn't want that….when you were fighting Ayato all I could think over and over was that _I failed him, I failed him, I was too late to save him, I failed him_ ….it scared me because I lost the person I knew….and then there was this strange with his face and voice, even his memories….but it wasn't the same person…." She said and felt her body shiver at the memories.

"People change Touka." She shook her head.

"Not like you did….you didn't just change you turned into….something else….you weren't human minded with a ghouls body….you were just a ghoul and a terrifying one…your….you weren't Kaneki anymore and though you've changed and come back to us and are more like you used to be….you've only _mellowed a bit_ you haven't become the person I knew," she stated.

"Would you want me to be that way again? Do you hate me that much?" she stiffened.

"I don't hate you! I never have hated you! I just wanted to protect you because you were so damn innocent….and then you became some sort of dark creature like me….I forgot who you were because you weren't the same and I had to accept that and I still am trying to….I wanted you to be stronger but I didn't want you to become something else…." Touka said as she felt tears blur her vision.

"So what do you want me to do?" she shook her head.

"Don't change anymore….stay who you are okay? I don't….." she brought a hand up to hide her face and wipe her eyes.

"Touka, I know I'm not who I used to be, it's okay….I accepted it and that's why I'm not scared of who I became I get that I had to make a choice to die or to live…and come back to you…" she stilled.

"You're such a jerk….but…." Touka leaned down over him to where their foreheads were pressed together.

"Touka?" she let go of his wrist and reached to cup his face, caressing his cheeks and brushing his bangs from his eyes.

"I love you…." tears slid down his face from her eyes. The tiny pat of the drops making him blink as he watched her.

"You…" she felt her body shudder again as tears continued to fall.

"I fell in love with you….idiot…." she wiped her eyes, but the tears continued as she leaned back and he sat up with her still in his lap.

Kaneki felt his eyes soften as one of her tears slid down his cheek and dropped before he reached out and pulled her in his arms. Touka stiffened when she was embraced only to look at the white haired boy holding her. His eyes were different, warmer, and softer than they had been. She stared as he smiled in a gentle manner that reminded her of his old smile before he caught her chin and tilted her head up.

"Why am I such a crybaby around you?" She felt her eyes water again before he tightened his hold on her waist and she watched him as tears slid down her face.

"Please don't cry anymore Touka…."

He kissed her. It was different from last night's kisses she'd inflicted upon him – it was warm and gentle, soft and chaste. Touka felt her tears stop as she leaned forward, kissing him back as she slowly reached up and brushed her fingers through his hair. This was better than the kisses from last night, it felt natural and real instead of forced and fake. Arms tightened around her waist and tilted her back just a bit too where his hand cradled her head as she knotted her fingers in soft snowy hair and she felt a sense of peace come over her. Touka decided she preferred these gentle touches and caresses to the bites, bruises, and blood from earlier. Kaneki pulled back just a bit and she stared into his eyes as she was brought closer and her head rested against his chest.

"I'll stay okay? If not for anyone else but you I'll stay by your side…" Touka stared momentarily before she curled up closer to him. She liked this much better than their previous encounter. It wasn't cold, it was warm and safe.

"Idiot Kaneki…..you don't have to promise me something like that…" the white haired boy nestled his face in her hair.

"I do because I care too much about you too not promise you that I won't leave you…..physically or otherwise…." She smiled a bit.

"Okay….thank you…." she felt a smile against her head as he kissed her forehead and laid down allowing her to curl up close to him. This was better.

 **{…}**

 _Maybe hope, buried deep within, it's what's needed…_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: This chapter was mainly to develop the relationship between Kaneki and Touka. There were some ups and downs but I hope you all like it.

My readers are epic I love you guys!

Well, here's the preview:

It had been a year, but now a fight was breaking out, they were struggling, but they could survive this. They could win even if only three of them could fight they could do something about this and keep the vampires, the monsters away from the place that had become their home. Even if it just means accepting a former enemy's assistance.

"You'll have to apologize later, for now, help us keep our family safe!"

Chapter 7: Anteiku


	7. Chapter 7: Anteiku

Chapter 7: Anteiku

 **{Streets of Tokyo: December 1** **st** **, 2017, 8:45pm}**

"Chilly tonight huh Touka?" the blue haired girl let out a foggy breath as she looked at the ground below them from the roof of a building.

"It is….how are you not cold in that battle suit? Its skin tight even with the two other layers," she said. Kaneki shrugged as he eyed the area around them. Both wore their masks, Touka had recently modified her own that now only covered the lower half of her face with two bolt looking objects at the corners of the mouth area. In some ways it still favored a rabbit due to the nose and mouth area being closer to her face and shaped like the nose of a rabbit, but to Kaneki it looked a bit closer to a half-face gasmask.

"I don't really feel the cold that much. What about you? Are you warm enough?" the girl sighed a bit once more.

"I'll be fine idiot…I worry about you too much for my health…" Touka eyed the white haired ghoul next to her.

"Then don't worry so much, it's not like I'm leaving you or anything remember?" she frowned a bit – how could she forget.

It had only been a week and a half ago that the two of them had ended up in a mess like they had. Tangled up after nearly tearing each other's lips off in a series of brutal kisses before Touka had admitted she might have had feelings for the other ghoul – only to ultimately say that she loved him – since then they had been closer, they always slept in the same room, Hide would make jibes about it when the others weren't around for their sake, but they still had moments where they would be at odds with one another. Not that Touka minded waking up with Kaneki holding onto her or the way he would run a hand through her hair or play with it when they were together. It was the rare moments when the two of them wouldn't be paying attention and do something a couple would in front of Nishiki, Kimi and Hinami. The three of them had started to catch on, but they were trying in a vain attempt to not have them trying to give advice and learn about each other in their own pace.

"Can you see anything down there?" she asked.

"There are some of them….but not a bunch – two? Maybe three? No weapons…..they're weaker too…." Another thing she had learned about Kaneki over the last year was that though his senses were different not all of them were weaker. His sense of smell wasn't anything like her own or Hinami's but his eyes and ears were better than their own by far. He also had an inept talent for sensing things about others still that she at times found eerie. His empathy as she called it was abnormally high for a ghoul which did make her wonder about him at times. She nodded to his statement.

"We don't need any more than that….unless you inherited Rize's appetite as well," she said in a half-joking manner.

"Fortunately I didn't. As for her healing and speed I got one hundred percent of that…" Touka eyed him as he sat crouched watching the street below.

"I've never seen you run before so…I wouldn't know how fast you are except for that time during our practice battle and you were just strong and good on reflex," she said with her eyes calm. There was movement and suddenly he was next to her – she flinched but did not jump – and locked eyes with him.

"Don't look at me like that Touka – I didn't mean to scare you." she rolled her eyes and moved her hand to lace their fingers together.

"So, now that we've found them what should we do?" she looked up her eyes changing into the Kakugan brimstone black and hell fire red.

"What we normally do with them – take them down and eat before we get swamped or lose track of them."

"Right…"

Touka ran along rooftops with Kaneki right next to her and her mind momentarily reeled – though they had different Kagune he was actually keeping _pace with her_ – she momentarily had to wonder about how he had managed it as they jumped from one roof to another, short in distance as it was they landed with hardly a sound until they reached the next roof which was much more distanced. Touka backed up and took a flying leap across the gap and curved her body backwards doing an elegant flip before landing in a crouch. She gave the other ghoul a once over before waiting to see what he would do. Before she knew it the boy was in the air and had his Kagune out which curved just enough to catch some of the wind before he turned his body to the side and twisted moments before landing next to her and closing his Kagune away.

Admittedly, Touka was impressed. She eyed him before softly punching him in the shoulder causing him to look at her as she rose her eyebrows and he shrugged as if to tell her he had copied her. Knowing it wasn't time to talk she took the initial idea and walked along the roof with him before looking at the ground where the two vampires were walking on patrol. Since the year that had passed, they had learned something interesting about vampires and ghouls. If a ghoul bit a vampire in a non-fatal area such as on the arm or shoulder then something in the Ghoul's saliva prevented the vampires from turning to ash when they were eaten allowing them to not only manage with them, but to actually survive. To their fortunate find, the Ghouls learned that vampires also tasted just as good as humans did.

"At least they don't taste bad," he said in half-thought.

"Yea, it makes it easier to eat them…" Touka eyed him as he looked at the two vampires.

"So, do you want the taller one or the shorter one?" Kaneki questioned her and she hummed in thought.

"I think I'll take the shorter one this time. Plus I want to see how you handle the big guy….he's what? Twice your size?" the white haired ghoul chuckled faintly.

"Does it really matter?" she eyed him.

"You do realize your probably a hundred and fifteen pounds drenched from head to toe right?" the boy gave her a look.

"I can manage Touka – this isn't the first time we've been hunting so why the questions so suddenly?" he inquired. She sighed.

"Just wondering if you realized you're a beansprout compared to Nishiki and Hide even is taller than you." again he laughed a little.

"So? You're shorter than me," he said playing along with her rather amusing conversation.

"By three inches!" Touka crossed her arms over her chest.

"All the same you are beautiful…" she felt her cheeks grow warm at the comment.

"Why do you have to go and do that to me now idiot?" she asked him. He looked to her with a small smile that she could tell was there despite the mask.

"Because it's an honest statement Touka." She looked at him and reached out to brush his bangs from his one visible eye.

"You can be so annoying it's not even funny….oh well, I guess that's just you though….so….shall we go? I'm hungry," she stated.

"Alright, lets hurry up and get back before it's too late okay? You know Hinami worries."

She nodded and with that they waited until the two vampires were just below them before descending. They landed and the creatures paused before looking back at them – momentarily they laughed at their dark clothes and masks – telling them to run along like the children they were and they'd let them live. That changed when a burning red and elegant violet wing burst from Touka's shoulder and four ruby red tentacle objects came from behind Kaneki and grew from soft and fluid to sharp and deadly. The vampires, horrified by the sight exclaimed what they were only to be attacked as they fumbled with their weapons. Touka crystalized her Kagune and it pierced the feet of the shorter vampire as she lunged forward and sunk her teeth into his shoulder – in mere seconds the effect their saliva had on the vampires would take over and the poor blood sucking creature would be a feast for her. Her eyes glanced to Kaneki who had been quick to coil his Rinkaku around the vampire and bring it closer as it struggled only for him to meet the Kagune half way and bite down on the upper arm and tear the fabric and flesh from the area.

Since the CCG no longer patrolled the streets they were able to eat without much worry, but the still living vampires screamed until she heard a sickening gurgle as Kaneki tore the vocal cords from the vampire he had taken down. The creature stopped moving and struggling and breathed shallowly as the white haired ghoul removed his mask and bit down on the area, licking at the blood that flowed as Touka herself had lifted up an arm to eat the underside of it. Personally she had still not gotten used to seeing the boy of all people devour someone like she normally would. Like any ghoul who needed to eat he wasted no time in stripping parts of the body down to the bone, lapping at the blood like it was a sweet wine and continuing until full. But even though she had accepted the reality they lived within, it still just didn't look right to her. A sharp crack was heard and she glanced up from the area she was focused on – the shoulder at this point – to see the boy had cracked open the vampire's chest and grabbed the heart.

" _Hearts? When did he get a taste for those?"_ to most ghouls a heart wasn't that satisfying, it was tougher than the rest of the body, and crunched almost like an apple. But, she found herself not giving it much thought – she knew Uta loved eyeballs, and Yomo preferred tongues – but still watching the gory scene before her coming from the person who once couldn't bear the thought of it was strange.

"I'll never get used to seeing this side of you," she said honestly. The boy glanced up, having already bitten into the heart.

"I'm like you Touka – it shouldn't surprise you….but I know why….it used to bother me too much to think of it." She watched him swallow the piece of flesh in his mouth before he eyed the corpse in front of him.

"It's almost to brutal looking on you…" Touka eyed him as he bit into the heart again and pulled at a tougher part.

"At least I can do it and I don't have to be a burden to anyone else….but I was glad we learned about this…the vampires I mean…"

Touka looked down as she continued picking pieces off at random before looking back to him. His pale skin was specked with blood, it ran down in a line from the corner of his mouth, his hands were stained in red but no matter what she tried to pinpoint about it – nothing looked right – this didn't even feel right. She nodded at his statement before looking at the corpse in front of him as she began to finish what she wanted with hers.

"Yea, I guess…" she said.

"I thought they'd taste as bad as other Ghouls do…." She froze stiff at that.

"You never told me about that…how many…" the boy went still before glancing at her from under blood splashed white bangs.

"Touka, I apologize….I didn't mean to say anything about that…" he seemed to change right in front of her eyes back just for a second into the person he once was.

"Its fine, I told you – don't change anymore – just stay who you are now and don't become someone else again," she said. She didn't hear it but seconds later a blood smeared hand reached out and touched her cheek. Touka looked to the boy as he watched her momentarily.

"That side of me bothers you Touka….the Kakuja….even though it's not acted up lately it…." She reached out and touched his cheek.

"Don't talk about it okay? Let's just finish up here and get back to Hinami and the others."

"Alright…." Touka smiled to him as she tried to brush a line of blood from his mouth but merely smeared it across his pale skin. It didn't look right, but this was reality for him and her and any other ghoul out there.

 **{Anteiku: 11:25pm}**

"Why are you insistent on staying up to see Kaneki and Touka when they get back?" asked Nishiki.

"Because, I've never seen them come in and I think I should for once….besides, it won't hurt to get used to the sight of blood." The pale brunette eyed the blonde.

"You have no idea what you're about to see – they don't just have a few specks on them, it's…" Hide nodded.

"I know…it's probably bad, but…I need to get used to it so I can help all of you if I need to…I think I know what I'd like to do if the world ever gets back up on its feet…" Nishiki eyed him again.

"What's that?" Hide held up a medical text book on Ghoul anatomy.

"I think I'd like to be a Ghoul doctor – I want to give you guys a hand and thanks to Hinami having had all those text books from her father's old practice I can learn how to treat you guys when you get hurt or something…it's one of the few ways I can give back to all of you who've been protecting me while I'm not doing much more than going on runs with the rest of you." Kimi eyed him as she stood at the doorway with Hinami.

"It's late Hinami, go to bed and I'll have them come say goodnight when they get in," she said. The girl sighed.

"Okay, goodnight everyone!" she ran up the stairs and to her room while the others bade her goodnight.

"She looks up to them doesn't she?" asked Kimi as she sat next to Nishiki.

"Yea, to a centipede and a rabbit…what an odd combination." Hide gave the bespectacled ghoul a long look.

"Centipede?" questioned the blonde.

"Kaneki's Kakuja favors a centipede – something I noticed the last time we saw it when he got away from us and we were able to keep an eye on him." Kimi bit her lip.

"That appearance….it's because he was tortured wasn't it?" her eyes burned with tears.

"Unfortunately it probably is….a Kakuja though…God I never thought I'd see one come from someone like him…..but….if he can learn how to control it in the long run he might be the best chance we have of survival," Nishiki stated.

"That's not such a bad thing…" Kimi glanced at Hide.

"I was wondering….what's going on between Kaneki and Touka?" she questioned.

"What are you talking about Kimi?" Nishiki hummed at Hide's block.

"I also was wondering about that myself. Are they in some sort of relationship? I smelled Touka's blood on Kaneki and his blood on her about a week and a half ago….did something happen between them?" he inquired. Hide shrugged.

"No idea honestly. Kaneki and Touka didn't tell me if they did but…" before any more questions could be asked the door opened and then closed before the trio looked up to see Kaneki and Touka walking in talking a bit silently as they came into the room lit surprisingly bright by lanterns.

Kimi and Hide had never seen any of the four ghouls when they'd arrived back from a hunt – they'd always hid it well and cleaned up imminently after coming back – but this time was different and almost mind numbing. Kaneki stared, his visible eye wide as he reached up to remove his mask and Touka unlatched hers from around her head and unzipped the side of it before pulling it off. They had gotten the blood off of them mostly, but they still were splattered with it across their skin and in their hair. It stained their hands and Hide didn't personally want to know what their skin looked like under the black clothes. Kaneki took his own mask off, holding it in his hand before looking at Hide. Kimi gulped before forcing a smile.

"Welcome back," she said.

"You don't have to pretend to stomach it Kimi – we know we look bad." She nodded nimbly.

"Did they fight back?" asked Nishiki. Touka shook her head.

"Barely, it was kind of anticlimactic getting out and going through all that trouble of tracking them only for them to pretty much kill over." Kaneki gave her a small smile, blood staining to corner of his mouth in a line.

"We should be glad they didn't seeing as we haven't been able to go out and hunt for over week. Though, admittedly it was a bit dull – it seemed as if the smaller one didn't taste as good," he said. Touka frowned.

"He was surprisingly tough skinned. Maybe their evolving?" Nishiki shook his head.

"I doubt it. But anyways, how was the hunt other than the apparently slim pickings?" the two ghouls glanced at one another.

"It went smoothly, no problems – but I caught something on our way back that bothered me," Kaneki stated. Nishiki looked him over.

"Your sense of smell sucks though so how did…" the white haired ghoul gave him an imploring look.

"My eyes and ears are better than yours or Touka's or Hinami's even and she has pretty amazing hearing….I heard a vampire saying they wanted to lay claim to the twentieth ward and I mentioned something about an errant ghoul," he said calmly.

"Wait…so there are a group of fangs wanting to do what?" Kaneki looked at the others.

"We're about to have to fight the vampires and it's not going to be pretty – there is one that's leading it, and another whose organizing – we're going up against about thirty would be my guess from the sound of their planning. And they are armed, but not with Quinque that I know of…." Hide eyed him.

"You heard all of that?" Touka nodded.

"He can smell as good as us, but he can see and hear better than most full blooded ghouls and that means that he's got a lot of capable talents at hand when it comes to finding out things from what we consider prey. He heard that just in passing and froze in a shadow to listen on a roof top," she said.

"Impressive…." Kaneki sighed at that.

"Main point is, we have a fight ahead of us and there was one more thing that caught my attention – they mentioned someone we've been searching for," he explained.

"What? Who? Uta? Itori? Yomo? Yoriko? Did Irimi or Koma survive? Who did they…." Nishiki placed his hands on Kimi's shoulders.

"Calm down and let him talk Kimi," he said.

"I'm sorry! I just…." Kaneki nodded.

"It's fine. They mentioned they had Ayato captured recently – we need to get to him – he's being held in the old CCG tower in one of the holding cells there…which could mean that even though I didn't hear it they could have gotten into the Quinque stores," he told them.

"Why do they have Ayato?" the white haired ghoul looked down.

"They want to experiment on him to see if they can find a way to strengthen themselves against us and destroy any of the surviving Ghouls. I don't know why but…they think by dissecting him they can figure out how we work and how to kill us off or prevent us from feeding on them," Kaneki said in slightly tense voice.

"It's like the damn CCG all over again but this time with fangs and claws equipped for extra support!" Nishiki gritted his teeth at the very idea. Were any of the ghouls ever going to be free from those beasts?

"I'm afraid it is…" Kaneki spoke in a tone that suggested discomfort, but he tried to hold it at bay for someone's sake they noted.

"So what should we do? Are we going to war?" Touka bit her lip and turned sharply on her heels before marching up the stairs.

They knew why of course, her brother was in danger of being cut up while alive, of being turned into a lab rat – something that every ghoul feared since birth – and here she was unable to save him. Nishiki looked at Kaneki who narrowed his eyes at the ground, bangs hiding his expression from sight as he listened to the silence and the sound of footsteps upstairs. Hide watched his best friend stand there looking like a scar on the room with his gothic appearance, but he could sense it radiating around him – the anger that boiled in his blood at the fact that Touka was hurting because of these vampires – he stepped forward and reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder to tell him it was okay to be angry or frustrated – but Hide's main question was what to do now that they knew this was about to happen.

"What do we do?" questioned Kimi. Nishiki looked down and Hide stepped back in thought only to hear a noise that sounded greatly like gnashing teeth before Kaneki looked up with a cold glare in his eyes. The two humans faintly felt their muscles tighten in reflex, it wasn't aimed at them – but the look was no less frightening.

"We eradicate the damn pests! I don't care what we have to do but Ayato comes back to Anteiku with us alive and intact….I'll fucking kill them by myself if I have to….but we are taking them down!" Nishiki smirked a bit.

"Alright, what do you have in mind?" Kaneki kept his eyes trained at the group. Hide felt himself internally wince at the sight of his friend looking so malicious.

"We take them down before they even step one foot out the door."

" _So….this is what you've become….your even more different than I first thought Kaneki but…I admire your reasons for your anger."_

 **{2:25am: December 2** **nd** **2017}**

"Touka, calm down." The blue haired girl bit down on his shoulder as she forced herself not to scream. She wasn't doing it out of spite, or to blame him – it was to keep herself from alerting the others to her own distress about the situation Kaneki had overheard.

"I can't!" she jerked away and he hissed as he gripped the wound.

"Then if you must be so distressed….don't use me as an object to take your frustrations on please," he asked as the wound sealed up.

"Sorry I just…..God what am I supposed to do? Kaneki, he's my little brother I have to save him – is that plan of yours even going to work?" the white haired ghoul sighed as he let the girl settled on his lap, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair.

"I know, and it will work – Banjou and the rest of us worked this plan several times and it worked just fine – if we get to him tomorrow night we'll be okay…..Hinami can defend herself pretty well and so can Hide and Kimi is getting better. We'll pair the others up with us as the vanguard and the rest as ops Kimi and Hide are good at giving directives when needed so…." She frowned as she pressed her forehead against the shoulder that a few moments ago had been wounded but now was healed flawlessly.

"Can you save him? Even though…" Kaneki nodded as he traced his fingers down her shoulder – bare due to the tank-top she was wearing. He didn't know how she could withstand it normally, but the heater they had in the small bedroom made it strangely hot in there which helped with the biting chill that frosted the windows.

"You care for him Touka, he's your family so we have to save him. Even though he was part of Aogiri Tree, even though he hurt you and caused all of us so much pain….we're not going to leave him there to die I promise." She looked at him as his fingers traced gentle patterns on her shoulder and she leaned to where their foreheads were pressed together.

"Your always surprisingly calm about these situations….how do you do it?" he laughed just a bit and Touka sighed as she stared into silvery-brown pools.

"My mom was the same way….she did too much though…..she worked herself to death because of a greedy sister…I took care of myself even though I lived with my aunt and her family – they didn't care for me that much because I had better grades than her son…but…I've learned how to cope with panic and stress in ways….after the eleventh ward I feel like that part of me just became automatic and I didn't have to lull myself into it…" she felt his hand slide down her side and tease the hem of her shirt as she watched his eyes.

"I don't even remember my mom – our dad was the one who tried to keep us happy….but he left one night and never came back…..I had hoped he was alive until I saw a Quinque that was identical to his Ukaku…I guess it makes sense that he didn't survive the CCG…he was to kind," she said.

"Kindness isn't a bad thing Touka….you have to learn when to be kind and when to be harsh though…it's a balancing act…" she reached up and brushed her hands across his cheek thankful that both he and she were now free of blood smears.

"Can you give me an example?" she asked him. He glanced down.

"Myself….I went from one extreme to the other….from being to kind to being to cruel even though I tried to have a calm side to myself in front of Hinami the others in that little group….they were scared of me…even more so when they realized I had a Kakuja…Banjou was terrified as were Sante and his brothers….Hinami was the only one not present…after that we were in such a mess that I found Kimi and Nishiki and took Hinami to them – I was heading back to the place where we stayed at when the news went out that there would be a raid on Anteiku….you were kept out of the way weren't you? Why did you and the others come to Anteiku that night?" Touka paused and slid her hands up into his hair.

"Because I knew you would be there and if I wasn't there then you wouldn't survive….I had things to say and I just…." A chaste kiss was placed to her lips and she shook a bit as cool fingers traced her side in a ghostly manner.

"It's over now, don't worry about it – tomorrow we'll get Ayato back and we'll stomp out the vampires that want to hurt us….I won't let them hurt any of you I promise." Touka tensed again as she kissed him and he fell back for her to snuggle up to him while taking a lock of his hair and twirling it between her first and middle fingers as she laid over him with her head rested at his collar bone.

"Then don't die you idiot just so you can save my idiot little brother," she said.

"I won't…." she nodded.

"Then neither will I."

 **{Sunset: 4:55pm: December 2** **nd** **2017}**

Walking along shadows down the streets was a group of six figures. Dressed in black and keeping hidden as they went closer towards the white tower of the CCG Tokyo Head Quarters. Four ghouls and two humans who if one were to look in their eyes would see calmness, but something else as they slipped behind an upturned car and waited for darkness to come. Hidden by some of the bushes and trees the building was just within sight. The group were adorned for war, masked and given weapons for those who were of another race of the four. Touka cast a glance around as Hinami listened and Kaneki kept an eye out. Having become the leader of their ragtag group of liberators he had found himself once again focusing on what was ahead of them as they waited for the sun to go down bringing and icy bite to the air as it slowly grew darker.

"Hide, Kimi, the two of you are going to survey the side area and tell us if anyone is coming in when we start towards where Ayato is. Hinami, you're going to be our blood hound okay? I need you to track Ayato's scent. Nishiki I need you and Hinami to be our side guards and take out anyone from the left and right rear area Touka and I are going to lead the front – keep Hide and Kimi between us so the fangs don't get at them….they try and strike a blow on us because we have humans with us so don't let them get caught….everyone understand?" Kaneki looked at the group.

"Got it." The others nodded.

"Okay, we're almost ready – we'll start in just a few seconds….when the sun disappears we attack. Do not hesitate to strike a lethal blow, the chest or head is the best place," he said.

"Alright, Hinami and I will guard the rear, Hide and Kimi take the sides, Touka and you take the front….seems simple enough." Kaneki looked to Nishiki and smirked just a bit.

"It's surprisingly simple that's why it will work…the simplest of plans are often the hardest to foil."

Hide, Kimi, and Hinami put on a pair of black masks that latched at the back with a strap that went around the head. Favoring a lower face riot mask and similar to the three others with them it was strangely befitting for the event that was about to take place. Hide looked at Kaneki, in his full battle suit, with his mask on – he looked just as menacing as he had a year ago laying into the members of the CCG with an unbridled rage at the death of Yoshimura. Now that glint of malice in his visible still silvery-brown eye was one of anger for another reason all together – because someone he loved was in pain due to the actions of the same fiends who took their world from them. Hide as well as Kimi were feeling the same sense of anger as they watched the four ghouls stand. Kaneki looked at Nishiki who nodded and then to Touka and Hinami who gave him the same gesture. His eyes locked on him and Kimi and they too gave him a nod. The sun went down and Kaneki looked up at the area before them just past their hiding spot.

"Okay, let's make sure they know just who Anteiku is when it comes to messing with our family." The visible eye changed to brimstone black and hellfire red.

 **{…..}**

 _...To begin again_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Okay, chapter 7 is completed and we are getting some action! The Anteiku group is raiding the CCG tower and going to save Ayato! Do you think they'll do it without any major problems? No deaths, promise….well….not from the main group anyways.

I had to explain a bit as to how the Ghouls were surviving now and I had to sneak in some more Touken for you fans of it. And I think it helped in showing how Touka viewed the differences in Kaneki as a ghoul and not the shy boy she'd known for so long.

Well, there's not much more to say except: if you have a question please PM me and I will answer you as soon as I can.

Here is your preview:

White floors glistened in light, the drip of something akin to water resounded in their ears as wide red eyes stared in to black pits with hellfire irises that glowed even in the bright light of the building. The sound of tearing flesh, of growls and snarls as Hide stared almost transfixed in a room that went from pristine and pure like freshly fallen snow to crimson, a scene from a nightmarish vision of hell. Flaming wings and snake like tendrils tore at forms as a blue tail flickered and a butterfly flapped her wings gently only to become a venomous spider and rip into her prey with the gusto of a killer. Hide stood there amidst a blood soaked room that did not have mere drops or splashes, it fell in waves and he watched someone he knew for his whole life revel in it as they did all they could to save someone dear to Touka – he smiled a bit and drew the sword he'd found once and took a deep breath.

"I guess I should have known….but even this has its own sort of macabre beauty to it….." he said as he watched the white haired ghoul move like a phantom, and a flush of fire turn to crystal and cause ash to bloom.

"…..It's kind of like a dance, on a stage of hell."

Chapter 8: Adapt


	8. Chapter 8: Adapt

Chapter 8: Adapt

 **{CCG/Vampire HQ, Tokyo: December 2** **nd** **, 2017, 5:02pm}**

The sun had just gone down blanketing the silent city in darkness, the cold biting into any exposed skin and creating puffs of foggy breath as two white clad guards stood at the doors of a pristine white tower with faded and slightly cracked letters that spelled out _CCG_ for others to see. The vampires guarding the door did not quite truthfully care what the building's former purpose was, but instead what it contained within which was information on a situation that had for the last year caused them quite a bit of grief.

"Hey, did you hear?" asked the one on the left.

"No, what is it?" the one on the right eyed the other in questioning before the left guard frowned.

"Two others were taken down yesterday evening – eaten up like it was nothing – they found bones and the flesh on their faces, eyeballs plucked out and stuffed in their mouth which lacked a tongue….." the other stared wide eyed.

"How gruesome….what are we supposed to do too those things? They're revolting beasts!" said the right guard.

"If it wasn't for the effect their blood had on us believe me we would have dealt with them a long time ago." The other made a gruff noise.

"I'm not entirely sure what kind of effect it does have on us – we've only heard rumors and they're urban legend grade," he stated to the other.

"It's almost like acid to us, just tears up our bodies like it's nothing. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I wish I could just get rid of those filthy beasts…..do you know what the Queen thinks of them?" the other shrugged.

"She said they're no better than demons, the lowest on the food chain as she sees it…." A rustled was heard and the two put their hands on their weapons.

"Whose there?" called the one on the left.

"No one…."

Out stepped a young man with slightly waving pale brown hair, a half mask with white fangs painted on it and the bare bone of the mouth present, he wore glasses, and black pants and shoes as well as a black turtle neck shirt and a leather jacket of the same color. The two vampires stared at him in questioning as he kept his pale brown eyes – tinted the slightest shade of orange – on them and waited to see what they would do.

"If you're no one then you shouldn't be here livestock! We don't have time for your theatrics!" called the one on the right.

"Oh! I do apologize! But I had to ask something….about those supposed demons?" the two vampires rose an eyebrow.

"What about them?" the other shrugged.

"Just wondering….if they look a little something like this…" the young man's eyes turned black and his irises flared a bright firelight color as he looked at them and a shining blue tail coiled around his leg.

"What the hell are you?" snapped the left guard. The other laughed a little as he started walking forward.

"I am just the bottom of the food chain as your beloved queen states, but I prefer the term that my kind have always been called by….Ghouls…." the two vampires seemed almost paralyzed until one drew his sword and went at him. He side stepped and flipped before landing a little further off.

"DAMN YOU! YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A PIECE OF…" the ghoul laughed.

"Honestly though, if you want a demon – you might want to look behind you at that one….he looks more like one to me if you ask my personal opinion...or maybe an asylum monster…"

Both vampires turned and the one who had charged was face to face with a white haired ghoul in a black outfit and mask with a lipless grin visible. The eye was black and red like the other ghoul, but behind him set out like the legs of a spider almost were four flushed, gleaming, ruby red objects that moved just a bit before turning sharp and the other tilted his head sideways as if curious.

"Boo…" the vampire jumped and a red tentacle ran through his stomach and tossed him in the air before the other three caught him and he was beheaded.

The other vampire was face to face with a rabbit masked ghoul with short blue hair and a flaming red and shimmering violet wing sprouted from her back. It crackled as it crystalized and he felt her move, the wing slicing his head off in one go before the group converged at the door. Stepping from the shadows dressed in black like the rest of them was a girl around the age of thirteen and two others, one blonde male and the other a red head female.

"Bravo, you did wonderful Kaneki, Touka!" said Kimi as she tried not to think about the carnage.

"They're waiting for us inside – remember your forms okay?" the red head bit her lip as she stepped in line with Hide who gave her a wink to reassure her due to their masks hiding their faces as Hinami and Nishiki fell behind them and Kaneki and Touka stood at the front.

"Ready?" asked Touka.

"Ready…."

"Let's go…" stated Kaneki as they moved into the building on guard.

The area was pristine white, almost blaringly so as they moved just past the door and heard it shut behind them with an echo. Nishiki's Bikaku flickered a bit behind him as Hinami took in a steely breath waiting for the attack to come. One vampire walked out with the click of boots walking across white tile floor before pausing when he locked onto the group of black clad, mask wearing teenagers – four of which had rather menacing looking parts of their bodies turned into weapons. He went to open his mouth and a step was heard as Kaneki moved and removed his head in a single strike before stepping back. In a matter of seconds vampires swarmed the entry of the building. Hide and Kimi were moved into a hiding spot by Nishiki as Hinami released her Kagune and the two humans prepared their weapons for the battle to come. Two whip like objects that favored red lined spines took the heads off of a few vampires as wings fluttered lightly behind her and Nishiki jumped up and came down upon two of the vampires.

Hide's eyes trailed from Hinami and Nishiki like Kimi's did and landed on Touka. Fast as a bullet she was practically dancing through the vampires – crystalized wings slicing through them in an almost elegant way that held their attention as she flipped mid-air and a blast of fiery-violet crystal destroyed a set of the vampires as a scream was heard and their eyes changed to Kaneki. The turns and motions looking fluid as the Rinkaku behind him would spread out or lash at someone to remove their heads. The boy jumped up and brought the Kagune down on the vampires who turned to ash as blood began to pool in the area. And the vampires attempted to fight. Kimi felt her stomach knot as she eyed Nishiki, then Hinami, Touka and then landed on Kaneki again who had torn through four of the vampires with the aid of his Kagune. She flinched as Hide kept himself guarded. It was no more than twenty minutes later that it was almost over and he stood watching the last few vampires being picked off as the blood grew deeper.

White floors glistened in light, the drip of something akin to water resounded in their ears as wide red eyes stared in to black pits with hellfire irises that glowed even in the bright light of the building. The sound of tearing flesh, of growls and snarls as Hide stared almost transfixed in a room that went from pristine and pure like freshly fallen snow to crimson, a scene from a nightmarish vision of hell. Flaming wings and snake like tendrils tore at forms as a blue tail flickered and a butterfly flapped her wings gently only to become a venomous spider and rip into her prey with the gusto of a killer. Hide stood there amidst a blood soaked room that did not have mere drops or splashes, it fell in waves and he watched someone he knew for his whole life revel in it as they did all they could to save someone dear to Touka – he smiled a bit and drew the sword he'd found once and took a deep breath.

"I guess I should have known….but even this has its own sort of macabre beauty to it….." he said as he watched the white haired ghoul move like a phantom, and a flush of fire turn to crystal and cause ash to bloom.

"…..It's kind of like a dance, on a stage of hell." He glanced to Kimi who heard a body drop to the ground as the ghouls stood there amidst the blood drenched floor momentarily catching their breath.

"What's up with all of these vamps? Their weak," said Nishiki as he looked around the room.

"They were just troops, but we do still have one left…." They watched as Kaneki sent a tendril out and snatched a vampire from some hiding spot that it had thought it was safe. He was a rather large man, taller and broader in build than Kaneki was – if the white haired ghoul thought of it he had a similar build to Yamori – however, none of them were aware of what the white haired ghoul had in mind exactly for that vampire.

"Damn it! Let me go you filth!" the tendril that was wrapped around the vampire paused.

"Oh? Filth am I?" the others watched as Kaneki slammed the man into the floor and wall before crashing him into the floor once more. Touka took a moment to assess the situation – Kaneki wanted something from this vampire and it had nothing to do with hunger.

"Y-You stupid ghouls….will pay!" again he was flung into the floor roughly only for Kaneki to move closer.

"You need to be quiet!" the vampire snarled at him.

"The hell do you think you are? Filthy trash! Below us! Lowest on the food chain you scum! Don't tell me what too…." Kaneki was instantly over the vampire who was being held up still by one of the Kagune. The boy put one finger to his mouth over his mask.

"Shut up, just like that – I'm talking." An unnatural chill went up their spines.

"What do you want?" the Kagune dropped the man. He laid there feeling the effects of beating he'd received.

"I need to know if you have someone or several someones we've been searching for," he stated.

"Like I'd tell you! Disgusting monster!" Kaneki tilted his head just a bit.

"Hmm….well….I wonder…have you heard the rumors about the ghouls within the city that remained?" he questioned. The vampire narrowed his eyes as he sat himself up and the Kagune wrapped around him again.

"What? That all of your _sickening kind_ are eating other vampires? Yes I have heard it almost all of us have!" Kaneki nodded.

"I thought so….but did you hear about how? Or why the vampires even your precious _Queen_ is scared of us?" he inquired.

"No, I haven't seen a reason to put stock in rumors! You revolting beasts aren't worth the effort of thinking o…..uugghh!" the others watched as Kaneki unzipped his mask and leaned forward as the Kagune jerked the vampire up and he bit into the creature's shoulder. The vampire screamed as he made a revolted noise before the white haired ghoul crouched near him as he was lowered rough back to the ground.

"Our saliva keeps you from turning to ash if your killed – it's like it revives your cells almost – turns out you vampires have plenty RC cells for us to ingest and survive on….you even taste good which is nice…..but there are two things about ghouls you fangs seem to forget…." The vampire wriggled as pain flooded his shoulder.

"W-What?" the boy tilted his head.

"We are predators too…" the vampire shivered a bit in fear. This ghoul was going to be one of the worst things he had ever crossed and he'd known it from the second he'd laid eyes upon him.

"What do you….want…." Kaneki sighed a bit.

"I want to know if your hiding a ghoul that favors that lady right there – the blue haired one – his name is Kirishima Ayato….is he here?" the vampire narrowed its eyes again.

"I will not divulge the whereabouts of research subjects." Touka gritted her teeth and Kaneki narrowed his visible eye.

"Okay, that's fine…." The vampire stared.

"What?" Kaneki stood up and cracked one of his fingers causing the others to flinch.

"We'll play a game….it's simple…..there are one-hundred and three questions I can come up with for you, there are two-hundred and six bones in the body of a human and a ghoul – seeing as your composition is identical to ours in the physical appearance factor, I would assume you also have two-hundred and six bones – so here's the game….for every question I don't have answered I will break one bone in your body until one hundred and six bones have been broken, by that point either you will tell me or I will have you begging for death….whichever comes first…..that is up to your pain threshold."

The others stared wide eyed as the vampire wriggled harder and was pinned in to the ground by his ankles. Kaneki crouched by his arm and grabbed his arm and twisted before a loud snap was heard and the others recoiled at the noise. The vampire wailed in pain and the white haired ghoul looked him over.

"That was the ulna, the bone on the outer side of your arm, now, I'll ask the question one more time – do you have Kirishima Ayato?" the vampire gritted his teeth.

"Yes…" the white haired ghoul nodded.

"Good, now, where is he?" he questioned.

"I won't…." another crack and the vampire screamed.

"The Radius is the other bone in your arm, next one is the other bone in your arm," he said.

"He's in Tokyo!" the others stared on at the scene as Kaneki nodded.

"Good job, now, is he in this building?" the vampire remained silent and the next bone was broken.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Hinami covered her ears and buried her face in Touka's sternum.

"Speak up! That was the humerus, three down – one hundred to go," the boy stated in a slightly jovial tone. Hide felt fear crawl across his face before it went neutral again. He had to remain calm as did Kimi who now was clutching the sleeve of Nishiki's jacket.

"Yes…" Kaneki nodded.

"Is he upstairs or down?" the vampire shook his head.

"I won't tell…." Kaneki sighed.

"Are you not going to tell me anymore?" the vampire gritted his teeth.

"NO I WON'T YOU NAUSEATING, HIDEOUS, REVOLTING, PIECE OF FILTH!" Kaneki tilted his head.

"Then we'll have to do this the hard way – to bad…." The others eased a little.

"You…" Kaneki's visible eye went near psychotic.

"It was more fun this way."

The vampire screamed as Kaneki proceeded to break his collar bone, followed by his sternum, the ribs, pelvic bone, femur, tibia, fibula, patella, sacrum, and several others until the vampire looked half crumpled as it screamed and Kaneki drew a Kagune up and bit into it as blood dripped, closer to the vampire's screaming mouth. The white haired boy slammed the vampire's head into the ground cracking the skull but still not killing him as he locked eyes with the creature. Touka was shaking, Hinami was in tears, Kimi was frozen and Nishiki was staring with disbelieving eyes while Hide only could only stare in a macabre fascination. The others were scared, they should be – he couldn't even imagine they'd thought that he was capable of this type of brutality and yet Hide was seeing it clearly – this was his best friend, and the boy was nothing but savage in this moment. However, Hide knew why these things were done – this wasn't senseless torture if there was such a thing as sensible torture then he would label this as it because it wasn't done out of the enjoyment of it or because he merely could it was done because he wanted the vampires to start seeing that they were going to tear them apart and they were doing it not for themselves but for those they loved, for those they lost.

"Now, answer this for me okay? I've broken ninety-seven of your bones – but I've only gotten a few of my questions answered….tell me this now if you would – is Ayato in the top or bottom of the building?" he asked. His voice was calm, smooth and as cool as silk, but laced with malice hidden well beneath a passive eye.

"B-Bottom…." Kaneki smirked behind his mask which was visible due to the mask's mouth being unzipped.

"Are there others?" the vampire shook.

"Y-Yes…." Again the smile grew wide, manic.

"Is there anything of use to us information wise in the laboratory downstairs?" the kaugne, still bleeding grew closer, a drop of blood hit the skin of the vampire and it flinched in pain.

"I….c-can't….w-wo…" Kaneki narrowed his eye.

"Would you shut the fuck up about not doing something before I jab this thing down your throat?" the vampire's eyes grew painfully wide.

"Yes!" Kaneki looked down at him.

"Yes what?" he questioned.

"There is…..infor…mation….in the…..lab." Kaneki nodded faintly.

"And what is the access codes for the door, information, and Ayato's cell?" the vampire shook and closed it's sore mouth.

"He won't say anything else," said Nishiki. Kaneki tilted his head as he held the Kagune above the vampire's open eyes.

"Guess what a vampire and a ghoul have in common?" the vampire stared at the Kagune above its head.

"W-Wh…" Kaneki smirked.

"The one area that a vampire is the most vulnerable is the same place a ghoul is identical to a human – a mucous membrane…." Blood dripped into the vampire's open left eye and it thrashed with one side of its body in agony.

"AHHHHHHHHH! PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP! STOP! IT HURTS! STOP!" the white haired ghoul looked at the vampire.

"I'll tear your lips off next of you don't answer my question," he said calmly. The vampire's eye ran with tears and blood as it swelled partly shut from the pain and he stared at the white haired demon with the other.

"Ahhh….I….k…give…." the white haired ghoul nodded.

"Alright, now the access codes if you will…" the vampire's lips trembled.

"O….one….N….six…S….four – lab." Kaneki glanced to Hide.

"Can you write that down?" the blonde nodded and looked to the side where a table was and managed to find a notepad with a pen in a holster from the clerk's desk. He wrote the letters and numbers down before writing _lab_ next to it.

"Okay, the next one," Hide said as he took a deep breath.

"T….twenty….G…zero….R…one…E….two….cell…" Hide wrote the information down.

"Last one…the access code for the information on the computers."

"A…five…..S eight…U….ten….R….seven…..A….four…files…" Kaneki eyed the vampire as Hide wrote the last one down.

"Is that everything?" the vampire twitched in response.

"We should hurry before they do somethin to my brother," Touka said as the group started towards the lab down stairs.

"Kaneki? What are you going to do with him?" Nishiki stepped forward as Kimi shrunk back with Touka, Hinami, and Hide.

"I'll just leave him…he can be a nice message for whoever decides to walk in that happens to have a pair of fangs," he answered simply as he stood.

The group said nothing as the vampire laid there in agony and the ghouls walked away from the scene of blood and the tortured vampire to search for Ayato. The group of six descended the stairs silently, thankful that the lab workers either had heard the commotion and ran or were unaware thus far. The spiraling staircases seemed to take an eternity before finally they ended and the group ducked under the last set of stairs to catch their breaths and consider their options for the lab that was before them. Putting in the code would be the simplest but it could also alert them – the door was a double set, the code accessed one and then a bolted door which was locked from the inside. Nishiki looked to Kaneki who had already zipped up the mouth of his mask again and was eyeing the door as they tried to reason the next step of their plan. If all four ghouls got at it at once they wouldn't have needed the access code, but the pleasant idea of surprise overweighed the desire to forget the code and merely break down the doors. Kaneki glanced to Nishiki and then at Touka and Hinami before glancing to Hide who had the codes on a piece of paper clutched in his hand.

He nodded to the blonde and the two of them slipped up to the door and the group slowly came up – Nishiki and Kimi lying in wait with Hinami in case someone came down the stairwell as Hide punched in the code and then with a flicker of light that went from red to green the first door opened. Nishiki came out of hiding and stretched a bit as the others watched him – Touka looked at the pale brunette who smiled as he took a few quick steps and then swung his leg back before kicking the door down. The doors flew open, off their hinges and the two workers within the lab froze still as they stared at the group of black dressed people who now were watching them. Touka narrowed her eyes as her Kakugan took over her blue eyes and the other ghoul's eyes changed as well and Nishiki held his hand up to the beaten down door.

"Knock, Knock…..anybody home?" asked Nishiki.

"G-Ghouls!" Touka stepped forward and her Kagune flared to life as she snatched one of the vampires by the front of their lab coat.

"Where the hell is my brother?!" she snarled.

"You….hehe….stupid bitch!" Touka stared as something was jabbed into her side and she yelped as the bite of Quinque steel cut into her skin.

She jumped back holding her hand on the wound as pain ripped through the area that was wounded. Steady hands gripped her shoulders as she looked to Kaneki who narrowed his eye and Nishiki stepped forward with Hinami. The two vampires who up till then looked rather bemused by Touka's demand now appeared nothing short of terrified as Kagune came to life and Touka stood with Kaneki keeping an arm on her waist for her to lean on as she healed while the others prepared to destroy the vampires.

"Well, looks like they are home, too bad….I was hoping on making this quick and easy," said Nishiki as he licked his lips.

"You look hungry Nishiki…." He glanced to Kaneki and smirked under his mask.

"It was my turn to take Hinami out tonight to feed this week – so Hinami? Will this do?" Kimi glanced at the girl as her Kagune opened up behind her and her eyes changed.

"It'll do fine. None of you vampires are going to hurt my family! I won't let you!" a spine like whip came out and sliced at the vampire on the left.

The two ghouls lunged at the vampires who went down without much of a fight while the others walked by and began their next phase of their operation. Hide settled in a chair in front of a computer and pulled out a flash drive with a flourish of his hand as he smiled and plugged it into the computer before he began to work on accessing the files while Kimi set to assisting Hide and Kaneki and Touka went down a hall in search of her brother. While her mind reeled at the events that had taken place – her eyes glanced to Kaneki who kept a steady pace with her as they began searching the halls for the holding area for experiments. Touka wanted to find her brother, get out of the building, go back to Anteiku and then berate Kaneki for half the night for some of his actions before finding some comfort in the idiot's arms as they slept. She wanted some more peace and quiet, something akin to what her life should have been like if she had been able to do all she'd hoped for. The world hadn't ended, she got to continue working at Anteiku, Kaneki returned, Ayato apologized and came to work with her and the others, Nishiki and Kimi got married, her and Kaneki could admit what they'd felt for one another for a long time it felt like, move in together, finish school, get married, start a family, and maybe open up their own shop or take over Anteiku for Yoshimura.

" _But the world did end, I didn't get to continue working at Anteiku, Kaneki didn't return there to us….Ayato is locked up here in a vampire laboratory, he'll never work at Anteiku with us, Nishiki and Kimi will probably never marry, Kaneki and I…."_ Touka couldn't contemplate what their futures held because it was so uncertain. She loved him, and knew he did as well, but would they get married and have a family one day? She didn't know. Shaking her head Touka started walking a little brisker before a hand caught her wrist and she glanced back at the white haired ghoul.

"I'm sorry, I know it bothered you….Touka…." she softened her eyes a bit.

"Once again you just….show me how much they damaged you…..I….right now I just want to get Ayato and….go home," she said as she turned and reached out to him. Her fingers ran across the slightly warm but still cool leather of the mask he wore and she sighed as she looked at the Kakugan eye, the same as her own.

"I know….I just….don't want you or the others to see just that side of me after we get home – I needed to apologize to you first…." She nodded.

"It's okay, let's get Ayato and go home….we can worry about everything else later…" she stated as she took his hand and they started walking.

"HEY! IS THAT YOU? TOUKA?" the two froze and turned slowly as a hand reached just a bit out from the bars at the top of the one next to them.

"Ayato!" the two looked into bars as the other backed away. beaten, bruised, exhausted, and clearly starving but alive was Ayato Kirishima, his hair a little longer than it had been last time he'd seen either of the two ghouls looking at him now.

"Hey sis….Kaneki…..did you come to bust me out?" he asked.

"No, we came for the sideshow attraction at the fangs new zoo….of course we came to bust you out idiot!" Touka frowned and he sighed.

"Good….they were about to see how I ticked before you guys busted down the doors," he said. Kaneki looked at the dial pad object at the side of the door.

"Give me just a second and we'll get out of here…" the two siblings waited as Kaneki punched in the numbers and the door opened before Ayato stood and walked out.

Kaneki watched Touka momentarily as Ayato gave her a long look before smiling sheepishly. She gritted her teeth and reared back her fist.

"Now Touka I…." her fist connected with Ayato's jaw and he went flying into the wall with a dull thud.

"That's for skipping out on me for that damn Aogiri Tree you damn idiot little brother!" she snapped as tears welled in her eyes. Kaneki shook his head as Ayato stood a bit.

"I deserved it…." Kaneki looked at them again.

"Listen, we need to get out of here before any of the fangs find out that they've been attacked. Hurry!" he said.

The two siblings followed him out of the hall and soon the group was on their way out of the CCG building just as the sun was turning the sky a pale blue. It was just the beginning of a long fight against the vampires and they all knew it. But this first strike, to take them down and let them know they meant to protect what was theirs, was a success and gave them the courage to do it again when they were ready. Now for a while all the Anteiku Ghouls had to do was wait for the vampires to once more drop their guard. They had a lot ahead of them, but none of them were doubting even for a second that they couldn't overcome it. All they had to do was adapt to it.

 **{…..}**

 _Now I must believe, in something…_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: there is chapter 8, now the next two chapters are more on them getting used to Ayato being with them now, not that it'll be easy. Who thinks Ayato and Kaneki are going to have issues because of Kaneki being with Touka? Well, it makes for fun.

Did anyone else think that Nishiki was channeling Tsukiyama in this chapter? I don't know why he turned out that way but he did.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Here's the preview:

The group was trying to adjust to the newly rescued Ayato, but the blue haired teen – hair now cut back to its original length thanks to Kimi and her skill with scissors – was grouchy at best, irritable at times and trying to get used to eating vampires, and worst of all was when he'd just so happened to walk in on one thing that outright made him stare and then blow up in one fell swoop. His sudden yell was enough to alert those downstairs as Nishiki finished brewing a cup of coffee and looked up the stairs in questioning while Hide dropped his head onto the bar where he sat at.

"Well that's going to go over well…what a fun struggle this one outa be," Hide said in dismay.

Chapter 9: Struggle


	9. Chapter 9: Struggle

Chapter 9: Struggle

 **{Anteiku: December 4** **th** **, 2017, 2:05pm}**

Ayato decidedly wondered why he had become so soft towards his sister. Touka was always smart mouthed with him – they were only eighteen months apart – but she was still the big sister, and yet he found himself sitting downstairs in Anteiku of all places sipping a cup of coffee that Nishiki had made, next to the girl named Hinami, and two humans – the one closest to him being a blonde boy with brown eyes that went by the name Hide – but he took a distinct notice that his two saviors weren't present.

"Where's snowy and my sister?" he asked.

"Kaneki and Touka were really tired because of yesterday – they did go hunting and were out late – so they're resting….they got us supplies and had to separate it for us and store it in the cellar so it wouldn't go bad." He glanced at Hinami as she spoke.

"So you guys have been eating vampires?" he looked at them and they nodded.

"Yea…pretty much. They taste just as good as humans and work just as well," stated Nishiki.

"Really? Well, I'll have to have someone show me how to hunt these guys down…..sounds like a plan to me." Ayato looked at the cup in front of him while Hide glanced him over.

"You really do look like Touka," he said smiling.

"Are you calling me a girl?" Hide shook his head.

"No I'm just saying you two look a lot like twins when you make certain faces…" Hinami smiled at Ayato who sighed.

"So how long have all of you guys been stuck here?" he asked. Kimi looked to him with a sad smile.

"Since the raid on Anteiku a year ago….when the virus hit…" the blue haired teen nodded.

"I figured….I saw Kaneki throw you in here when he was going at it with the CCG….did you guys stick around to watch? Or did you duck into the cellar?" Ayato questioned.

"Because we had Hinami, Kimi, and Hide with us we went down into the cellar. Up until then Hide didn't know any of us were ghouls so…..we couldn't run the risk of any panic….we just waited for Kaneki to come back into Anteiku…" the blue haired teenager laughed.

"God you missed a show! Aogiri was mopping the floor with them and Kaneki? He had people scrambling in absolute terror! Arima even panicked when he got on him….that reaper freak popped a vein when he got ran through by Kaneki's Rinkaku – it was epic as hell!" he told them.

"Wait! Kaneki wounded Arima?" Ayato nodded still showing mirth in his eyes.

"Yep, laid into him like he was soft butter and he was the hot knife….it was fucking hilarious when those CCG goons went running for their lives screaming like little girls because of the oh so frightening and blood thirsty Eye-Patch Ghoul….I don't think I've ever seen a grown man scream like a little girl before as he ran for his life….and Kaneki? Man he was having a riot! It was hilarious watching those stupid Quinque bastards try and get at him and all he did was flick them aside….he even got a hold of that one guy calling the shots? The one with the thick eyebrows…..that was one of the best!" the others eyed him as he talked about the attack.

"What do you mean he…..scared people that badly?" asked Kimi.

"Scared? No those people were petrified of him – I would be too if the same ghoul who took a bite out of a lead investigator's head came after me – none of you know what he was like when he was with Banjou….he even tagged up with us when he went out alone….he was ruthless it was hilarious though watching those people try to kill him and he swatted them like flies…." Hinami looked down.

"My big brother isn't like that….he's kind and gentle he wouldn't hurt people like your saying," she said. Ayato looked at her.

"Listen little girl….he's nice, and gentle, and sweet around all of you but if he gets the chance he can be just as dark as the worst wild ghoul out there...don't kid yourself into thinking your _big brother_ is the same kind hearted tender foot that was captured by Yamori when Aogiri went after Banjou and the others…" Hide glared at the blue haired teen.

"Would you have let them do that now?" he asked. Ayato looked down.

"No….Nishiki, I was your informant when Kaneki was being tortured….I did it because I knew my soft hearted sister was in love with the idiot…I hated a lot of things that my sister involved herself in…..but….it was okay if that stupid one eyed freak was alive….I don't hate him….never did and I need to apologize to them both about those things…." Nishiki sighed.

"I figured when I realized you knew Touka's name and you knew Kaneki's first name when no one calls him by that…." Ayato looked down.

"But yea….in that fight with the CCG Kaneki was a total badass….he made it look like nothing…..took out a whole bunch of those idiots like it was a game…it was freaking awesome….he's gotten really strong….I even heard he has a Kakuja is that true?" Ayato asked.

The group looked down at his statement. Hide stared at the empty cup in front of him and the others looked to Ayato as he waited. He had been in Cochlea but due to the fight with Shinohara he had been to out of it to pay any attention to what Kaneki was up too at the time being. He honestly didn't even remember what got them out of there. He sighed and drank down the last of his coffee before looking at the brown eyes of Hide as he looked at him.

"It's not something to be fascinated by." The ghoul hummed.

"Your pretty ballsy looking a ghoul directly in the eye like that without a second thought….I guess it makes sense seeing who your friends with….but….hell I was just asking if it was true," he stated.

"It is true, but it's nothing like what you're probably thinking…..it's terrifying….insane…." Ayato eyed them.

"You've seen it huh? What's it look like?" he questioned.

"Like a centipede…..but not…..it's like tails almost….almost spidery…." Ayato hummed again.

"I kinda want to see it…..but I also get what you're talking about….most Kakuja ghouls are to wild…hell one of the few I've met didn't even recognize me and we knew each other when we were kids….she tried to kill me…..but last I saw the CCG got her because she was so reckless," he said.

"His a lot more controlled considering he's only had about two episodes since the outbreak a year ago but…." Ayato looked at Nishiki.

"You can't set a watch by it like most which means his is much more complete with short bursts where he cannot keep it in check….I hear ya….still….imagine having that kind of power under your thumb like that? Scary as hell but if you had to protect someone you loved….that honestly would be the best thing for you to use…"

 **{Upstairs: 3:00pm}**

Touka couldn't exactly place in her head when she had fallen asleep or woke up. Her focus were on the arms that had her held close to Kaneki at the moment. It was somehow relaxing to her – how calm she could become around him even with the changes that had come – and yet she still wondered sometimes about him, and if he would stay or become someone else yet again. Touka reached up and caressed his cheek before sliding her hand into soft, snowy hair as she leaned her head forward to where her forehead was against his. She continued to play with his hair, curling closer as she listened to the silence around them that was only interrupted by faint breathing.

" _I don't get how you can act like someone who's so dangerous, and strong and then when we're alone like this….you act like a defenseless child…"_

"Touka…" she looked up only to feel him nuzzle her hair. She smiled.

"You're dumbfounding you know that idiot Kaneki?" she whispered.

"At least I'm your idiot…if I have to be one…" Touka glanced up into slightly tired silvery-brown eyes.

"Were you faking?" she questioned. He shook his head a bit and nuzzled her hair.

"No, I'm a light sleeper…." Touka sighed as she continued playing with his hair.

"Do you feel okay? You said you were hurting earlier when we got back with the corpses," she said.

"I'll be fine….what about you? After…." The blue haired girl looked up at him as best she could.

"I've seen some ghouls do worse things but that was pretty….bad….it brought back memories that I don't like remembering…." Touka felt him move a bit and a slightly cool hand slid up the back of her shirt to trace her spine.

"Can I do anything to help?" she smirked a bit and leaned up to brush her lips against his.

"Well….let me see…."

Touka leaned over him, pinning him against the bed as she ran her fingers through his hair and settled on his waist while looking at his eyes – he was still tired, but she needed to spend some time with him – therefore Touka leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss before biting down on his bottom lip, he relented to let her do as she pleased. Kaneki could admit one thing about Touka that was definite – the girl was never doubtful of what she wanted, and she would do all she could to get it – something he admired about her personality was her own strength that he knew he'd personally pushed to the breaking point several times. She sighed as she leaned back a bit tracing her hand down his front to slip her hand up the hem of his shirt and trace patterns on his stomach. The boy below her flinched and smiled just a bit as he looked to her and leaned up to return her kiss. It never took more than a few moments for the gentle kisses to become rougher, biting, drawing blood – returning momentarily to that point when they'd shared their first kiss – and then it would become gentle again as if the blood smears were non-existent.

Touka honestly did mind, she liked the changes, and though his hands were much gentler than they had been during that first kiss, she would at times find bruises on her sides from the few moments when they got too caught up in senses to consider harm. But it seemed as if there were some boundaries they weren't nearly prepared to cross – knowing that gave her peace of mind while her hands slid up his front under his shirt and she chuckled a little recalling a moment from the past when he'd considered fighting and she'd jerked his shirt up telling him to put on muscle and grow stronger – he most certainly had – but the way she was sure his body looked now had little to do with training and much more to do with experience. She could feel it in his movements, the way he would caress her shoulders or if she watched him at any point during the day when he'd be moving or when they'd go on hunts. The sleek predatory movement that was evident from being in combat, and Touka knew that side of him wasn't gentle it was feral and wild, stronger than even she was and rough.

" _And then he's gentle again and I wonder who he really is….even when he was soft hearted he confused me….he was so willing to help but he couldn't stand to think of killing others…"_

Touka's mind wandered from the idle hands that were tracing patterns on her side while gentle kisses were placed to her throat – she wondered how Ayato was doing with the others – The group was trying to adjust to the newly rescued Ayato, but the blue haired teen – hair now cut back to its original length thanks to Kimi and her skill with scissors – was grouchy at best, irritable at times and trying to get used to eating vampires, and was completely unaware of how things had changed between her and Kaneki. A part of her laughed knowing he would be protective despite his age being a year below her, but she couldn't help but smile at the fact that it was just how siblings were. Touka felt hands grip her waist and she nearly yelped when she was flipped, now lying on her bed with the white haired boy lying over her watching her with calm eyes.

She laughed just a bit and hooked her leg on his hip while sliding her hand over his chest before back down to reach up to cup his face. Some part of her preferred this side of him, he wouldn't have been this daring when he was so shy back then. Touka laughed again as a small bite was placed to her collar bone before her hands pulled him down for another kiss, teeth nipping at his bottom lip again while the boy returned her kiss with fervor and she felt his hand tangle in her hair while his other slid up her shirt to trace patterns on her stomach. It was in that moment – the time where they probably looked much more provocative than they normally would have – that the door opened up.

"Hey Touka are you…..WHAT THE HELL?!" both of them jumped as Ayato stared wide eyed in the doorway. Kaneki sat up and Touka did as well, both of them still slightly tangled up with one another which resulted in her sitting in his lap.

"Ayato um…." The boy went oddly white.

"Uh….you two…..um…..uhhh…." Kaneki sighed as he nuzzled Touka's hair and the girl flushed – she would make sure to bite him for it later – but for now she cared little about it as her brother began to tremble.

"Okay, calm down this isn't…." Ayato gaped.

"What it looks like? What the hell! Are the two of you….um…." Kaneki gave him a glance from under his bangs as he held onto the girl.

"Not like that you idiot little brother!" Touka snapped as she glared at the boy. Ayato eyed the way that the two were curled up together and felt his face heat as he watched his sister stay close to the white haired ghoul holding her.

"The two of you are….what? Screwing each other?" at that they two of them stared at the other and Touka felt her face flame red and Kaneki roll his eyes as Touka fisted the front of his shirt and he considered the fact that Ayato might be facing his sister's wrath.

"No! We're not! God, Ayato we've not even been together for a month yet! You stupid gutter brain!" she said sternly.

"I'm the gutter brain? THE TWO OF YOU WERE PRACTICALLY STIRPPING EACH OTHER WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT HUH?"

"OH SHUT UP IDIOT! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS!

"I DON'T WANT TO KNOW HOW ANYTHING BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU WORKS! I WANT TO KNOW WHY THE WHITE HAIRED BASTARD WAS TRYING TO RAPE MY SISTER!"

A red tendril came out and stopped an inch from Ayato who winced as he realized he had just said the wrong thing. Touka was red faced and furious looking, and Kaneki he saw nothing but emotionless rage in his eyes – his left one had changed in to the Kakugan – and Ayato knew he was in for a long and painful lecture from the older ghoul.

"Now, how about you tell me what you believe it is that I was doing to Touka?"

 **{Downstairs: 3:45pm}**

The others in the room stared up the stairwell, Kimi red in the face and the two boys staring while Hinami could only gape at the sudden yelling – what it was honestly about she couldn't be certain – however, Ayato's sudden yell was enough to alert those downstairs as Nishiki finished brewing a cup of coffee and looked up the stairs in questioning while Hide dropped his head onto the bar where he sat at. How was this going to go over well with everyone else in the room? Hide sighed as he looked at the others before hearing the creak of floorboards upstairs.

"Well that's going to go over well…what a fun struggle this one outa be," Hide said in dismay.

"What happened exactly? I mean….surely Kaneki wouldn't…" Hide looked to Kimi.

"No! Do you honestly think that Touka would let him do something like that to her?" Hinami stared at them.

"What was Ayato yelling about?" she asked. The three teenagers gulped.

"We better wait until they get down here to talk about this – or Touka isn't going to be happy."

The four people waited as Ayato flew down the stairs and into wall followed by his sister who stomped as she walked and kept her glare on him while Kaneki stood behind her with his arms folded over his chest giving the two siblings a long stare as if wondering what to think about the entire mess. Hide stared at the three of them while Kimi was pink cheeked, Hinami confused, and Nishiki sighing as he looked at the scene much like Hide was. Touka was going to more than likely beat Ayato near death as they watched. Kaneki kept his eyes focused on the girl and her brother – without a doubt he too would consider a hit as well, even though he currently was observing like they were – Nishiki sighed again and stepped between the two siblings while Hide gave Kaneki a nervous look and the white haired ghoul hung his head trying to wrap his own mind around this one.

"Anyone care to explain?" asked Kimi as she looked at them.

"Ayato?" the blue haired teen stood as Touka fumed and Kaneki moved a little closer to her while Nishiki stood as a mediator between the siblings.

"I went to talk to Touka and I um….the two of them…..Kaneki had her pinned to the bed and they were kissing and…..ahh…." Touka shot him a glare.

"If you say anything perverted I am going to kick your sorry ass so hard it'll be a painful thing to even think of moving for a month!" she snapped.

"But he was….touching you and…." Touka heard a heavy sigh beside her as the group glancing at Kaneki who looked more frustrated than embarrassed.

"Excuse me for touching her side….it wasn't anything like Ayato is making it out to be…." Nishiki looked at him.

"He said you were trying to rape her….knowing Touka that wouldn't happen because she's more than strong enough to handle herself against you if you tried anything stupid and secondly….this is Kaneki we're talking about – I doubt he would willing harm any of us," he stated as he looked at the white haired ghoul and then to Ayato.

"T-The hell he wouldn't! this is the same person I've seen tear people's spines out of their throats with his bare hands – like hell he's not capable of hurting any of you!" Kaneki gave him a raised eyebrow.

"I know I worked with Aogiri from time to time alone but I don't recall….oh no wait there was that one time…..I don't see how this has to do with your assumption," he said.

"Because you were…" Touka frowned before turning to Kaneki.

The white haired ghoul had little to no time to react as Touka jerked him down by the front of his shirt and kissed him directly on the lips in front of the group. Ayato was wide eyed as was Nishiki, Hide sheepishly smiling while Hinami was flushed faced and Kimi could only smile with a pink hue to her cheeks until Touka pulled back and shot her brother a withered glare.

"He wasn't hurting me, I love him – he feels the same – get over it and act your age you idiot!" she said as she wrapped her arms around Kaneki's waist and the white haired ghoul sighed as he placed a hand on her head.

"Well I….."

"About damn time!" said the three teenagers while Hinami blinked owlishly at the scene before her.

"What?" Ayato stared at the three others – he knew his sister had feelings for the white haired ghoul but something about this entire mess just settled oddly for him.

"We've been watching you two dance around each other long enough – thank God someone decided to push you two together!" said Nishiki.

"This isn't something new…..we've been together for almost two weeks now….wait…I thought you guys knew…." Kimi looked the two over.

"We had an idea with the way the two of you would cuddle up to one another but most of us figured it was because Touka was upset about something and you were trying to make her feel better….not that the two of you were together or anything," she said.

"So Hide didn't blab?" the blonde frowned.

"I can keep a secret Kaneki – I mean hell what do you think all this is about? I had ideas too about you being a ghoul but I wasn't positive….maybe that's why I've accepted it so well after the brief shocks!" Hide stated.

"Because your just Hide….that's how you do things." The others laughed a little.

"Wait does this mean that….my sister is dating the same guy I've seen kill humans and ghouls? You realize he's a cannibal right?" Hinami looked at him.

"But you were so excited about maybe seeing Kaneki's Kakuja earlier and now you're using that as your point to down him? That seems illogical to me," she said.

"Ouch, you just got dissed by a thirteen year old Ayato." The blue haired teen groaned.

"Fine whatever! Be with the loose cannon! Have kids! Go on a rampage! Hell I don't care!" the group laughed a little. Just a touch of normalcy never hurt they supposed.

 **{Roof Top of Anteiku: 8:56pm}**

Kaneki sighed as he looked at Ayato who was standing on the roof with him. The blue haired teen had asked to meet him earlier so they could speak in private while Touka helped get Hinami ready for bed. The group had already settled in for the most part, but the two of them Kaneki knew had unfinished business – today's events were a standing ovation to that fact – he looked at Ayato again and the other shifted his scarf and looked down.

"Listen, I want to ask you something," said Ayato.

"Ask away Ayato…" the other nodded.

"I um…..need you to promise me that you'll protect my sister…if…if we ever get into a fight or something…..that she'll be safe." Kaneki stared at him momentarily.

"Do you honestly think I would let anything happen to Touka?" Ayato looked down.

"I know what you're capable of Kaneki….I've seen how dangerous you really are….they've probably only caught glimpses of how cruel you can be….I heard Kimi mention what you did to that vampire when you guys came to recuse me….all I could think about is that it sounded about right when I thought of you but….when I saw you on top of Touka like that I…" Kaneki sighed.

"I'd never intentionally harm her – I love her to much – but….I understand where you're coming from…..I know what I can be like too…I know how dangerous I can be…." He said to the blue haired ghoul.

"When I saw that I hate to admit it but I panicked….I didn't know what was happening at first and then I saw that you were kissing her….and I had a different type of panic go through me….I mean here's the guy I've seen brutally murder and torture other ghouls and a few humans and all I can think of is that you needed to stay away from my sister…." Ayato frowned, he hated admitting any of his feelings, but this was his sister – he need assurance.

"I understand Ayato. You have my word that I'll protect her….even if she hates it I won't let anything happen to her," Kaneki promised.

"I guess I should say thanks….so….are you like the unofficial leader of this little rag-tag group?" the white haired ghoul shrugged.

"I honestly couldn't answer that one….I sometimes feel like I've been placed in that position….but….there's no way I could be a good leader with this Kakuja ripping at me all the time….." Kaneki glanced at blue eyes that were wide.

"Wait…it hurts that bad?" Ayato asked.

"It feels okay sometimes….but I have my moments where I feel this creep of pain up my spine and then I'm lost in my own insanity….I've gotten to where I can hold it off and tell when its coming so I can get away from the others….they've only had to deal with it twice…..bit its growing stronger…slower because of me not eating any ghouls to strengthen it but it is become more developed."

"Do you think it'll be like the Owl's? Humanoid looking?" he questioned with his hand shoved into his coat pockets.

"No…..it forms with my Rinkaku….but it looks like a centipede's body – two of them – if you stick around long enough you might get to see what they look like…" Ayato frowned.

"Are you telling me it's going to take over again soon?" he inquired as he thought about Touka, Hinami, Nishiki, and even Hide and Kimi. The two humans wouldn't stand a chance, Hinami was just a child and Nishiki would probably be beaten near death – Touka, he couldn't be certain what would happen if Kaneki lost control like that and she was close enough to be attacked.

"They know how to handle it…after the second time we devised a plan so that if I had a lapse in control they would know how to keep him within their sights, but far enough away to where they had time to prepare for a defense if needs be…" Ayato nodded.

"I guess I should have Nishiki or Touka brief me on the way you guys handle it….also….when do you and Touka go hunting again?" he probed. Ayato watched him and the white haired ghoul looked at the area around them.

"Two weeks is how much meat we have for the ghouls to live off of…and it'll give the vampires just enough time to let their guard down. Then Touka and I will go hunting first to secure the area for Hinami and Nishiki to go out during the earlier half of the day where the vampires send out lower patrols." Ayato frowned again.

"We'll have to close in our attacks and hunt like we did when the CCG is out. They'll know it's a Ghoul but not how many or from which area….there are other Ghouls in Tokyo that survived, but I think we need to plan our feeding routines again. But firstly, I don't know how to hunt vampires…so…" Kaneki nodded.

"Touka and I will show you how to track them down. It's easier at night because there's more of them out and about that's how we got the meat we did Touka and I took down three of them in just a few seconds and brought them here to skin them and dismember the bodies so we could store the meat like Yoshimura did at Anteiku originally. It's enough for us to survive without much trouble until the vampires cool down again." Ayato nodded.

"Alright, well…Touka's waiting for me to skip out so she can come and see you out here so I'll go….don't do anything reckless," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Like your one to talk…" Ayato laughed a little at that one as he left the roof and his sister passed him on the stairwell. She gave him a glance and he nodded before returning to the warmer rooms of Anteiku.

He had been given one of the rooms to himself – it was small, with just a bed and dresser in it – but he was fine with that. The small space heater made the room warm and perfect for winter. Ayato kicked off his boots and shrugged out of his coat and scarf before looking at the small space with a sigh. So, he wondered, how he had come to find himself comfortable within Anteiku – a place he had once considered to be full of complete wimps – and accepting the choices they were making. He had started to see Anteiku differently after his encounters with Kaneki once the eleventh ward was taken down by the CCG. The boy was one of the reasons he realized that Touka had been right about Aogiri, why he had defected from them so willingly. They were the reason behind it and he didn't regret it for a minute.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck here now….but….it's okay…..I guess I need to thank Kaneki and the others for saving my skin….just keep her safe…..okay Eye-Patch?"

 **{…}**

 _I cannot see for now, I'm on my own…_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Okay, there's chapter 9. So, I need to inform my beloved readers of something important.

You may not see an update until Friday or Saturday this week – it's the week before my school starts back so I have to push some things around – and I am going to do a mega update. This is how it will go:

There will be a four chapter update for this story and the prelude: Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign. Those chapters will complete the first story and push this story up to chapter 13 so I can complete it and get to the secondary story sooner. So here's your listing:

Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign – Chapters 38, 39, 40, & 41 will be posted in a mass update August 14-15.

Seraphim Blood: Re-Ghoul – Chapters 10, 11, 12, & 13 will be posted in a mass update on August 15.

If by some chance only two chapters go up for each story, don't worry the rest will come soon after. These chapters are 15 pages long so they do take a little bit of time to write. No worries guys! I got this!

Anyways, tell me what you guys think of the chapter. And I have a question:

Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign has reached 103 reviews. So, do you think this story could reach 100 as well? If not that's fine but I'd like to try it would mean a lot to me guys!

Love my readers, looking forward to your reviews and comments. Remember, if you have a question just PM me.

Here's the Preview:

Six months into the New Year, now it was 2018, and early spring. The vampires had gotten lax again which meant the Anteiku Ghouls could freely hunt without being constantly on alert. However, the group were learning quickly that the vampires had chosen to begin searching for them and thus they had come up with this meeting today for that very reason.

"I think we shouldn't use our names when out in the open – if they know our names it puts us at risk later on – and on top of that, I think none of us should be going out without masks on, and that includes the humans when we go on Raid or if we're going on runs….we need to protect our identities so they can't pinpoint us later."

"You're saying we should use nicknames to call one another by right?" asked Nishiki.

"I'm not saying anything extravagant, but we need to do this in case they start looking for faces and names that go with them. Plus Hinami's being sensing more activity in Shibuya and Shinjuku – what if humans start to repopulate?"

"You have a point," said Ayato.

Chapter 10: Results


	10. Chapter 10: Results

Chapter 10: Results

 **{Anteiku: June 23** **rd** **, 2018, 7:45pm}**

Six months into the New Year, now it was twenty-eighteen and summer. The vampires had gotten lax again which meant the Anteiku Ghouls could freely hunt without being constantly on alert. However, the group were learning quickly that the vampires had chosen to begin searching for them and thus they had come up with this meeting today for that very reason. Recently the group had reasoned that they needed to strengthen their defenses when out in the city the seven of them were seated in the staff lounge and were having their regular meeting for the Ghouls to report in on activity, and for the two humans to inform them of any need for supplies.

"I think we shouldn't use our names when out in the open – if they know our names it puts us at risk later on – and on top of that, I think none of us should be going out without masks on, and that includes the humans when we go on Raid or if we're going on runs….we need to protect our identities so they can't pinpoint us later."

"You're saying we should use nicknames to call one another by right?" asked Nishiki.

"I'm not saying anything extravagant, but we need to do this in case they start looking for faces and names that go with them. Plus Hinami's being sensing more activity in Shibuya and Shinjuku – what if humans start to repopulate?"

"You have a point," said Ayato.

"The CCG assigned all of you names didn't they? Why not use those?" everyone looked to Hide.

"They did assign us a sort of code name so they didn't have to rely on numbers, and to keep track of the higher ranking Ghouls," stated Kaneki as he looked to his friend.

"Yea, when I got information out of those computers I didn't just hack vamp info, I got a tone of stuff from the CCG server that had files on a lot of ghouls – I got all of the information I could – which means I have every file on there." The group smiled a bit impressed with Hide's apparent hacking skills.

"What did they use for the ones with us though?" asked Kimi.

"They called Nishiki the Serpent – or Hebi – something to do with how that half mask of yours is." The bespectacled ghoul hummed.

"Hebi….that doesn't seem so bad. I'll take that one up if it works best for us to use a type of code name then we'll use these to our advantage," Nishiki stated.

"Alright Hide, what next?" the blonde smirked.

"There are two names for Ayato – the Gremlin and the Black Rabbit – something about your mask resembling a Gremlin….personally? I think you and Touka should use the Usagi aliases. Kuro-Usagi and Usagi – just because it suits," he told the siblings.

"Rabbits? Really?" Touka smirked at her brother.

"You are a black rabbit and that is final –its retribution for the crap you've dealt me in the last few years," she said as she folded her arms and Kaneki rolled his eyes at the girl who sat next to him.

"Fine! Kuro-Usagi is what I'll take…" Kimi laughed faintly.

"Alright so Touka and Ayato are Kuro-Usagi and Usagi – what about Hinami and Kaneki?" she questioned. Hide thought momentarily.

"They called Hinami clover because of her clothing but I don't think it suits her Kagune." Kaneki glanced at the thirteen year old girl.

"Well, when I've seen her Kagune I think it kind of favors a butterfly….so what about Cho?" he said. Hinami nearly gleamed in excitement.

"I like that one!" the group gave her a polite smile knowing the girl was looking forward to doing more with them other than hunting on occasion.

"So what about Kaneki?" asked Nishiki. Hide looked at his friend and smirked again.

"They had two names for him – Eye-Patch and Mukade – after seeing your Kakuja I think I know why they gave you the second one. The first one is obviously because of your mask having an eyepatch on it." The white haired ghoul frowned.

"I don't really care for that second one….I'll stick with the first one…." The others nodded in understanding as Ayato sighed.

"I'm a bunny…." His tone sounded almost shell-shocked causing the group to laugh as he turned red.

"If you behave I'll let you use Gremlin later okay?" the boy nodded to his sister.

"Okay….but….I'm a bunny…" Hinami giggled.

"It suits you both," she said. Hide glanced to his friend.

"I think that bruised his ego…" Kaneki gave him a nod with a small smile.

"I think so too...okay the ghouls are covered but what about Hide and Kimi? They went with us on that Raid – there's no telling when they'll have to do that again." Hide looked at him a bit.

"You have another point there….we even wore masks….so….just use the other half of my first name? Yoshi….that'll work fine for me," Hide stated.

"I guess that'll work what about Kimi?" Nishiki looked at the red haired girl beside him and watched her think on it for a few minutes.

"What was that word that was opposite for glazing? You told me about it remember Hinami? When you were reading that story….Monochrome of Rainbows by Takatsuki Sen?" Kimi questioned.

"Verglas, that's another term for it – it means a thin layer of glass or ice that covers something," Kaneki stated. She smiled.

"I like that one! And the mask I used had a gloss to it so it'll be great." She smiled and Nishiki sighed.

"So we have aliases, and masks – I don't blame you – but think about what doing this means? More risks are coming so that's why this is important…." Kaneki looked to Hinami who smiled at Nishiki.

"I think we should teach Hinami how to fight." The group paused. Touka shot the boy next to her a long look.

"Why? She doesn't need to," she stated.

"No, unfortunately she does. We don't know how long it'll be before something happens to where either we're forced headlong into a battle or if we're going to have to escape or fight the vampires. Plus Hinami said herself that there was an increase in activity in Shibuya and Shinjuku – the CCG probably has more survivors than we've seen and there's no telling if the people in those areas are another human faction or if they are CCG." The group looked down at that statement.

"So….I need to learn how to fight?" asked Hinami. They looked at the girl and nodded as she took in a deep breath.

"Yes, it'll help." The girl looked at Kaneki and Touka.

"Then I want both of you to teach me how to fight," she stated. The two stared in surprise.

"Are you sure? Why would you ask us to? Nishiki is a good fighter and so is Ayato." Hinami looked at Touka.

"Well I…." Ayato sighed.

"Touka is an Ukaku type, she has a talent in speed and agility. Kaneki is a Rinkaku type, he's fast, agile, and a skilled close quarters combat fighter. He can get up close with someone and attack while Touka is a distance fighter – both of them working together could help Hinami if you consider the fact that she has an Ukaku-Rinkaku chimera type Kagune," he said.

"That makes sense if you think about it….alright, we'll train you Hinami." The girl beamed.

"Thank you!" she said happily.

 **{July 6** **th** **, 2018 – underground of Anteiku}**

Hinami smiled excitedly as she stood downstairs in the training center of Anteiku. The others were present for her to further her training. She had in the past few weeks practiced with her Kagune's release and strikes – today she was going to practice with Kaneki in a beginner level mock fight – not that she didn't feel anxious about that. However, Hinami wanted her brother to be tough on her – she needed to be as strong as him, Touka, Ayato, and Nishiki. She looked at the white haired teenager across from her as he smiled and released his Kagune. Hinami followed the example, the wings of her Ukaku fluttering slightly. Kimi blinked in surprise as did the few who hadn't seen it before.

"How pretty," she said.

"It does look a lot like a butterfly….." Hide stared as Hinami's Rinkaku half rose up in a fluttering motion as well. He had seen flashes of it when she had defended herself during the raid on the lab to save Ayato, but Hinami hadn't really fought, she had killed a few vampires, but the fighting was mostly Kaneki, Touka, and Nishiki.

"Alright Hinami, are you sure about this?" Hinami nodded to the other as Touka bit her lip. Kaneki wouldn't lose control like last time, she knew that, but it still worried her.

"I'm read," she said.

Kaneki rose the Kagune up and fluidly moved them into fine points before lashing out. Hinami blocked with her wings and struck at him. He jumped and moved his body mid-air that brought his arms to a curve as his Kagune spread out. He landed in a crouch when Hinami blocked him and he jumped again as the girl hit him once more and managed a cut before the boy flipped mid-air and landed behind her. Hinami froze as a red Rinkaku lashed out and threw her away from him. She tumbled but got up in a crouch herself as her Kakugan took over and she struck with both her Kagune only to be blocked by a thick single Rinkaku tendril that moved into a claw before spreading outwards again. The group stared as the two ghouls sparred. Hinami took in a heavy breath as she looked at the white haired ghoul in front of her.

She had been right when she'd observed Kaneki in previous sparring sessions with the others – he was much faster than typical Rinkaku types – and far more flexible and agile. According to Nishiki, and Ayato when Kaneki had fought Ayato after his escape from Yamori his speed was faster than normal Rinkaku type Ghouls – however he also seemed different from what they'd seen with others of their kind. Hinami was thrown again as she looked at the movement of the other's Kagune. It was fluid, graceful in a predatory way – even his movements were similar to an Ukaku types fluidity. Hinami jumped up, turning mid-air in a mock imitation of his earlier movement and landed a blow to his shoulder. In a matter of seconds though she was thrown again and pinned to the wall by four red tendrils.

Hinami was let lose a second later and she slumped to the ground heaving in air. She was improving – last time she had lasted exactly one minute against him – today from what she was hearing she'd lasted ten minutes. To most the accomplishment wouldn't seem like much, but to Hinami it was a great achievement seeing as she'd never truthfully fought before. She was given help in getting up from Kaneki who mused her already messy hair and congratulated her on her improvement. Touka smiled a bit at the scene, Hinami was excited about her progress, but it was surprisingly worth it if she considered her chance of being able to do what she'd wanted to for so long – help the others. How many times had she heard it since Hinami had met Kaneki and the two of them had fought to stop the man who had killed both of Hinami's parents? So often Touka couldn't count the times.

"That was good Hinami – your landings need a little work though," Touka said as she walked up to the girl.

"What do I need help with in that?" Hinami blinked and Kaneki looked to her.

"You struck me but you hesitated to long – you hit and move away – attacks like the ones Touka and I use rely on striking fast and hard but moving away just as quickly," he said. Hinami nodded.

"Can I see? I need something to visualize it better." Ayato smiled at that.

"Alright, hey? Kaneki? Why not let me have a go with you? Let me see how you've improved in a fight with another ghoul since you kicked my ass in the eleventh ward," he said. Touka sighed.

"Great….just don't destroy the place okay dumbass?" Ayato gave her a long look.

"I won't…right Eye-Patch?" asked the blue haired teenager. Kaneki shrugged.

"Okay, but I won't hold back." Ayato released his Kagune.

"I don't want you too," he said.

Hinami watched Ayato jump into attack Kaneki who blocked with a single tendril before nearly disappearing in a blink of an eye. Ayato paused as he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned and was kneed in the stomach by Kaneki who flipped away when bluish-red crystals struck where he had been. The others watched the two fight – Ayato displaying the typical speed of an Ukaku – while the others kept their eyes on Kaneki. Though they had seen pieces of it during his mock fight with Hinami, clearly he had greatly restrained himself. The Ukaku Ghoul blinked in shock as the Rinkaku type leaped up and jerked his body mid-air landing a direct hit to his head before curling over him in a flip and landing in a crouch with the four Rinkaku splayed out like the tails of a Nine-Tailed Fox.

"Damn you've gotten faster," Ayato said as he rubbed the trail of blood that ran from his mouth. The kick was harder as well he noted.

"What do you expect? Banjou and the others weren't idle – we fought often – this is merely practical to any one of us that were in that group…." The blue haired ghoul laughed.

"Yea, didn't you go up to the biggest looking guy in the CCG about two years ago and knock his teeth in?" Ayato asked as he watched for movement.

"Hmm….oh I did do that…..I almost forgot…" Ayato frowned before shaking his head.

"Whatever, I remember some of Cochlea – I remember what you did….you tore up that one guy in the Arata Armor…. Even without that Kakuja," he stated. Kaneki moved up in a slinking motion shift his weight to one side before standing straight – it automatically put him in a relaxed stance to fight the other.

"I'm surprised you didn't see it…" Ayato ran forward and Kaneki blocked.

"I was knocked senseless by that idiot Shinohara," he said as he lashed a wave of crystals at the other who turned on his heels and threw them away. The Rinkaku lashed the back at Ayato who hissed as a few of them cut into him.

"He seems nice….we ran into them after the virus broke out…" a tendril wrapped around Ayato's ankle and tossed him into the wall and ground before throwing him. The Rinkaku Ghoul once more returned them to a sharp pose that guarded his sides and front.

"Damn….." Ayato sat up breathing hard. One down side to his type of Kagune was that like a Cheetah their speed only lasted for so long and came in short bursts before they were exhausted.

"Done?" the Ukaku ghoul took in a deep breath before standing.

"I'd like to see that Kakuja you've got – I hear its one hell of a scary thing," he stated. Kaneki paused at that.

"Don't ask about it…..if you're lucky you'll never see it." Ayato frowned.

"I heard you had a spell where you lost control during your time with Banjou and the others. Tsukiyama said it was beautiful in a very dark way," he informed him. Kaneki rolled his eyes.

"I figured that creep survived…" a tendril shot out at Ayato and threw him up into the air before Kaneki jumped as well and kicked upside the head before turning in a mid-air twist and kicked him again sending him into the ground. Kaneki landed in a crouch near Ayato who spat up blood and the others stared while Hinami all the while watched.

"What the hell was that?" Kaneki rested his arms on his knees while he tilted his head.

"Care to explain?" he looked at the red Rinkaku that was still splayed out like the tails of a fox.

"That….thing you just did was exactly what you did when Yamori broke your leg during the fight you two had," he said. Kaneki glanced to the others before looking at him.

"I broke my own leg thank you – and it wasn't a break…more of a twist…but it still was torn up pretty badly….but yes I did use that same attack." Ayato sat up and rubbed his mouth clean of blood.

"Uhh…yea...what the hell….that was freaky then and it is still scary now how fast you move…where in the hell was that when we attacked Anteiku?" he questioned. Kaneki shrugged as he stood and his Kagune disappeared in a red mist.

"I didn't have the resolve I do now….back then I wanted to protect people but….I was used to being hurt instead of hurting others….now I figured it's okay if I have to harm others – if it means I'm doing it for certain reasons and not just because I can…." Ayato stood.

"Yamori really did a number on you….did he screw up your head that badly? Hurting others is part of life, you can't help it but who told you it was okay to be hurt instead of harming someone else if they were going to do the same to you?" he questioned. Kaneki glanced to the side.

"My mother's philosophy…..it's the same one that got her killed…because of a greedy sister…figures doesn't it? The thing she told me ended up being something that would have killed me as well if I hadn't decided I needed to stop being the victim." He looked at Ayato who blinked before sighing and moving towards the others.

"Stop being a victim huh? That makes sense…"

Touka only smiled at the statement. Perhaps being around Kaneki and the others would be good for her brother – in just a few short months he had already warmed up to Hinami and the others slowly but surely he was coming to care for them as well. She sighed as she came up to Kaneki and took his hand as they all began to head up stairs.

 **{August 1** **st** **2018, Streets of the 20** **th** **Ward – 7:58pm}**

"HINAMI!"

The group had went out on a run and to check the streets before the following day when the ghouls would do a group hunt at night. Unfortunately they had been met with a problem that included several vampires and two of the giant monsters that had been roaming the streets. Kaneki flipped mid-air and landed in a crouch next to Hinami who had narrowly dodged an attack by one of the monsters. Hide and Kimi were safely hidden – unable to combat the monsters or the vampires like they wanted – while the Ghouls did the job of taking out the vampires. Nishiki and Ayato were making quick work of the vampires, and that left Touka, Kaneki, and Hinami to handle the monsters. Hinami's wings fluttered a bit as she jumped with the other two and they attacked together striking at the monster's open mouth with sharpened Kagune. It howled and spat blood on the ground while Kaneki eyed the creature's movements in hopes of finding a weak spot.

"It has eyes…" he quickly muttered as he jumped away in a hand spring before spreading out his Kagune. Touka looked to him in confusion before staring.

"Right…"

Touka jumped upwards and in a mid-air back flip she shot crystalized attacks at both eyes of the monster who howled in pain as it thrashed, blinded as Hinami hooked the things tendrils and sliced through them. Kaneki leapt up and turned his Kagune in a single sharp point before gouging into its neck. Blood sprayed out like rainfall as the three ghouls hit the ground and the last vampire turned to ash. The ghoul's eyes fell on the last of the monsters and they began their assault in simultaneous hits, leaving wounds on the monster as they took to blinding it and wounding its mouth before attacking it yet again as it went after them in wild hits. At the midsection Ayato attacked directly wounding it as Kaneki came in behind and formed a sharp edge with his Kagune, slicing into the monster before a sickening crash was heard as it was cut into with the combined efforts. Blood stained the ghouls looked exhausted as they moved to Kimi and Hide's hiding spot to stay out of the open. The monsters were stronger, but they also were further into Tokyo than normal. Kaneki slumped down to keep hidden as more of the monsters began heading towards the scene of their own kind's death and the group began to crawl along the ground and to the inner half of the building to come out on the opposite side of the street.

"That was freaking insane! I've never seen those things before," stated Ayato as he sat crouched at a wall within the side door of the building like the others.

"It's recent that they've showed up – maybe the last year….but they're stronger than the vampires by a long shot." Ayato looked at the others while Nishiki thought of something they'd seen when the fight had begun.

"Do you think it's possible that those things aren't working with the vampires? They attacked them too," he informed them. They nodded.

"They don't have a will of their own – they're mindless killers…..funny it reminds me of something you'd see if someone was punishing ghouls and humans for existing and thriving even if just barely." The others looked out the window slightly and found themselves relieved that the monsters were leaving.

"However, that doesn't mean they aren't smart. Ghouls are typically apex predators….out here I'd say those things are if you run into one…." Said Kaneki as he looked around before ushering the others to follow.

"Did you notice that if one shows up more come? We need to avoid fights with those things as best we can…" Ayato wiped the side of his face.

"I wonder if they're eatable?" he licked the blood and spat it out almost instantly. Touka gave him a look.

"I'll take that as a no?" she asked. He nodded.

"It tastes horrible….like spoiled meat….wait….are those things even alive? Or are they reanimated?" the group paused.

"You know….we aren't sure…Hinami said they smell horrible," stated Hide as they continued to crawl until they reached the first floor of the building.

"They do! Like rotting corpses but not human ones." To that the group froze still.

"What are you talking about Hinami?" asked Touka. The girl looked saddened.

"They smell mixed….like human bodies….and ghoul ones." Kaneki paused.

"Ghouls taste horrible….like spoiled innards of some kind of animal….Yamori tasted the worst – like rotten fish intestines – but others taste as bad…it's a horrible smell too when you start to recognize it….I get what you mean Hinami – those monsters either consumed ghoul corpses as well as human ones or they're made up of them…that's why it tastes so horrible to Ayato who probably hasn't cannibalized to many ghouls before," he replied.

"I bit into Touka's Ukaku and it was horrible but I've never really cannibalized a ghoul…but I guess some of us who have a Kakuja incomplete or not would know that description perfectly." Kaneki sighed as he felt the sharp sting in his sides again – sooner or later the Kakuja would get out of his control – for now though they needed to get what they needed and get away from where they were.

As they began to walk through the building and out the other side some of the others began to feel an odd chill run up their spines as if someone was watching them. Hinami couldn't trace the scent merely because it was so abnormal – however, it was clear that the person watching wasn't intent on anything good. Kaneki was calm as they started walking down the street towards an area where they could find supplies – soon they knew it would be up to the humans to learn how to hunt for wild animals that had started coming into the city – however, with that sensation trailing up their spines the group couldn't help but wish to hurry to their location and then back to Anteiku where they were safe. Rushing however, caused accidents, which could cost lives – that meant being collected as they moved together through the streets. In was getting dark, which meant getting back to Anteiku was their main priority if they couldn't make it to the location where they knew a few things were still.

"Tomorrow I want the Hide and Kimi to stay put – stay alert when you're alone – the rest of us will be going hunting so I don't want the two of you getting into trouble," Kaneki stated as they finally made it to the small super market where they began collecting what they would need.

"We get it, don't worry – I'll keep Kimi safe." Kaneki gave Hide a long look before glancing to Kimi who nodded.

"I'll keep Hide out of trouble," she assured. The blonde gaped while the others shook their heads.

"I can take care of myself! I'm almost eighteen!" the group again could only shake their heads or give Hide a long look.

"You are a magnet for trouble though!" said Nishiki.

"The hell I am! If anyone's a magnet for trouble its Kaneki!" the white haired ghoul gave him a bland expression.

"Yes, but I can defend myself – I am a ghoul – I have combat experience….i also have an internalized weapon as a natural defense….you do not," he explained in a dull tone. Hide's mouth dropped open.

"I give! I can't argue with that one…" he laughed a little as they finished filling up their backpacks and the group began to walk out of the market and down the street at a slightly face pace.

It was growing darker, and that meant that more creatures other than vampires would begin prowling. Other Ghouls that had survived – though they hadn't seen many – and what they assumed were other monsters, but their worst concern was vampires at this point. With their speed only the ghouls could fight them off, let alone out do them – Hide and Kimi would be easy targets – a baby animal in the eye of a lion, ready to be eaten alive. Hinami shivered as a cool breeze came by and the group picked up their pace as the sound of movement from an alleyway caught their attention as they began running. Hide and Kimi were kept in the center of the group as they began to prepare for a fight. A white clad figure darted out in front of them and they froze.

"Well now, what do we have here? Ghouls? And two humans? My! What fun!" said the vampire as he looked them over.

"Who are you?" the group closed in around Hide and Kimi.

"I am the assistant to the Noble who now has power over Tokyo – I am Lectus Prosfair – I've heard much about your group….how you feast on vampires…well….I came here to do something for my master," he stated.

"What's that?" the vampire eyed Kaneki and Touka.

"You two look might strong and hmm? What's this? You two are lovers? How sweet! You can die together then! With the rest of your filthy group – your livestock coming to the slaughter….my job is to kill you off." the vampire drew a sword.

"You're going to kill us?" a crack met their ears as Kaneki did the same action with his middle finger as he had done with his index.

"Yes I am! Your weaker than I thought – just a bunch of children really – what a shame…youth is such a wonderful experience," said the vampire. The others felt an ominous chill as a sadistic and psychotic smile spread across Kaneki's lips.

"Well, I hope you don't mind….but I intend to further push the point of the message we left in the lab…." The vampire tilted his head.

"And what's that?"

A sharp red tendril flicked him away as if he was nothing and into the wall. Kaneki stepped forward as his Rinkaku flushed in a faint glow in the darkness and he grabbed the vampire before slinging him into the ground and tossed him. The vampire hit the wall at the end of the alleyway and coughed up blood as Kaneki crouched a bit and turned his side to the man – the Kagune curling outwards in a warning flourish as the vampire watched the masked Ghoul. Kakugan appeared as Kagune flew into life by their owners and the vampire was met with a knot of fear in his stomach as he realized that he was surrounded by four blood thirsty Ghouls. The masked one with the lipless grin narrowed the hellfire red and brimstone black eye as his comrades prepared for their confrontation with the vampire.

"You are screwing with the wrong people."

 **{…..}**

 _It's my will with all my might…_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: There's chapter 10. We are getting steadily closer to the encounters with the Moon Demon Company and the beginning of the Tokyo Raid which begins at the end of this story. Don't worry, just look for the story to go too at the end of chapter 25 so you can continue reading the cross-over.

 **Well, here's your preview:**

Blood splattered the alley way – not from the Ghouls or humans but from the vampire that lay maimed on the ground barely alive. His right arm eaten away and his face scratched, bones broken, and organs bruised. His master had underestimated the Ghouls that he had been sent to kill and now he faced the monster who had done the most damage to him – the Ghoul with the lipless grin and the appearance of a gothic demon.

"Send this message to your master – if you come for Anteiku – we will leave a trail of blood in our wake."

Chapter 11: Warriors


	11. Chapter 11: Warriors

Chapter 11: Warriors

 **{Alley ways of Tokyo: August 1** **st** **2018, 11:25pm}**

Blood splattered the alley way – not from the Ghouls or humans but from the vampire that lay maimed on the ground barely alive. His right arm eaten away and his face scratched, bones broken, and organs bruised. His master had underestimated the Ghouls that he had been sent to kill and now he faced the monster who had done the most damage to him – the Ghoul with the lipless grin and the appearance of a gothic demon. His fear intensified as he considered the threat before him, in his thoughts before this he had figured the group of children weren't half of what they had been told to be, but now he lay maimed by the Ghouls – by the _monsters_ – and he realized it was his own fault that he now had suffered. The white haired Ghoul in front of him leaned closer to where he had no choice but to look into that horrible eye as it gleamed with wicked intent.

"Send this message to your master – if you come for Anteiku – we will leave a trail of blood in our wake."

"You're….filth…..beasts…." the white haired demon in front of him tilted his head.

"You vampires are arrogant bastards you know that? We allowed you to survive – be our messenger….let the poor fool you serve know what he's dealing with," he stated.

"We will destroy you…" the vampire coughed up blood and the white haired ghoul stood and held his arms up.

"Then we welcome the fight – you can die and watch us revel in your misery – your kind took everything from us…." He was in his face again and the vampire flinched as a red tendril held him face to face with the monster.

"Your….vile…." the white haired ghoul smiled in a manner that made that horrible eye gleam in wickedness.

"Your kind are the contemptable, the true loathsome beasts that only bear a single quality – your pusillanimity…and you took everything from us, from the world….we have grown sick of your belief that you own everything now…." The vampire bit into his Kagune and Kaneki merely watched. Pain ripped through the creature and he screamed as Kaneki slammed him into the wall and drew closer.

"It's…..acid…." the vampire writhed in agony as the blood worked its way into his already damaged body.

"Our blood is like a toxic poison or acid to you – apparently your beloved master failed to tell you that – but no matter your pain….you've taken from us…" he drew closer and the vampire nearly wailed.

"Stop!" Kaneki laughed a bit at that.

"Now we're going to take everything from your kind – this world belongs to humans and Ghouls – you blood sucking leeches don't have a place in this world," he said as he glanced at him from under his bangs.

"I-I….." he was thrown away and the vampire scrambled to get away from the ghouls.

"Tell your master to do his worst – we will slaughter you all and leave your pathetic corpses in the streets!" snarled Touka as she stood next to Kaneki.

"I…" the vampire ran away leaving blood drops in his wake. The group looked at the place where the vampire had believed he could defeat them – a large splatter of blood on the concrete and bricks.

"We need to go before we attract more attention," said Nishiki.

"Right…"

 **{Anteiku, August 2** **nd** **, 2018 – 12:00am}**

Faint puffs of warm breath across her throat caused Touka to flinch a bit as she felt teasing fingers trace patterns on her side. She nuzzled the now clean white hair of the boy who currently was leaving small bruises on her shoulder and collar bone. Without being certain of why they had ended up like this, coiled together on her bed wrapped up in each other's presences, but not pushing things past the point they were comfortable once again Touka wasn't certain. However, it was somehow comforting after their fight yesterday – she realized this just as she glanced at the clock – and their encounter with the noble vampire. But with Kaneki she had for some reason always felt more peaceful and at ease, something she was unsure of still even as she ran her hands through his hair and let him continue.

"We declared a war with that vampire's master," she muttered as a hand ghosted up her side.

"I know, it'll be okay – I'm not certain if they'll follow through with it or not – but we can handle it." She nodded as she pushed him back and ran her hands up his shirt and pushed it out of the way.

"Damn….you look good for a sixteen year old boy," she teased and he rolled his eyes.

"You can be something else you know?" she laughed just a little. When had she become like this? Since she had kissed him the first time months ago? Honestly, she didn't care.

"I know…but…it's not as if we've done anything to cause Ayato to act like a fool," she said as she thought of the way her brother behaved.

"There's a reason for that though Touka…and it's not just morals…" a hand nudged her stomach a bit and she frowned.

"Yes I know your concern…." she stated. He sighed as he slid his hand up to her face.

"Then you know why taking it too far – blaming it on instincts or not – is a risk I won't take…neither of us could bare the guilt if something happened. This world is too dangerous and we're too young." Touka sat up and looked down to him.

"I get it…and I'm glad your level headed. Most guys would jump at the chance to sleep with their girlfriends," she said.

"I'm not completely level headed…" Touka gave him a quick glance.

"Really now? Are you sure you aren't?" she questioned him and he tilted his head with a small smile.

"Positive….so….what are you going to do? Touka-Chan?" the blue haired girl bristled playfully.

"You're paying for that one…"

Touka bit down on his bottom lip and tangled her fingers in his hair as she pushed him back against the bed and looked into his silvery-brown eyes. It was strange she thought as she left gentle kisses on his lips and looked back at those eyes as he returned her kiss. They were much colder than she remembered when she'd first seen him – but the color had always been interesting to her – it appeared almost as if his eyes couldn't decide whether to be gray, brown, or a honey brown and ended up mixing together to give him the silvery-brown with just a touch of a gold hint around the pupil. Touka had found the eyes had several different forms of appearances they could take. Being gentle and soft like they had when she'd met him, they could be determined and gleam with a gold tone, they could be icy and emotionless as they had been when she'd seen him in the eleventh ward and he'd told her goodbye, when he'd appeared again before the raid on Anteiku two years ago in winter and his voice had been empty like his eyes – they had almost looked gray then – and his eyes now looked caught between who he used to be, and who he was now. Her eyes softened as she looked directly at him and he blinked as if wondering what she was doing as she sat up and took his hand in hers and looked at the black nails. A hand reached for her and she stared at him as he settled for resting it at her side, gently creating patterns on the surface.

"Touka? Is something wrong?" she blinked and looked at him before sighing.

"You know, the white hair suits you better than the black color it used to be for some reason…..maybe I'm just getting used to it…but it brings out your eyes…" Kaneki stared at her in questioning before looking at her as if to scrutinize her appearance.

"Your hair needs to be trimmed again – Kimi can do that for you – but…you'd look good with long hair." Touka momentarily laughed.

"It gets in the way when fighting. Short hair is best….Kaneki….are we going to be okay? Are you certain we can handle this?" she asked. He smiled as he sat up and brushed her hair away from her face. His hands cupped her cheeks and his thumbs brushed under her eyes.

"Look at what we've been through….we came out of that okay and we can do it again." She nodded slowly before he pulled her down for another kiss and she smiled a bit.

" _Alright, I'll believe you…you've never let me down before idiot."_

 **{August 1** **st** **: 2:39pm – Beneath Anteiku}**

Hinami had been practicing again with Kaneki, Touka had come to watch while Nishiki and Kimi set to checking their supplies and Hide was watching again. She took note that Hinami – though her Kagune was bigger – had been slowly getting more fluid in her attacks. She was learning how to move faster, attack quicker, and land hits that would bring down her opponent. She had also learned how to do a few mid-air attacks like herself and Kaneki could, but she was failing in one area. Her stamina seemed more akin to an Ukaku type despite her having a Rinkaku as well. Touka felt herself flinch unintentionally when Hinami was kicked and went tumbling. The girl got up breathing hard as she prepared herself to get up again.

"We can stop if you want to Hinami," Kaneki stated as she shakily got up.

"No….if those vampires are coming after us I am not going to hide – I have to fight…." She opened her Ukaku up and spread out her Rinkaku while the others stared at her as she took in deep breaths and tried to prepare herself for the next attack.

"Okay, if you're sure…" he prepared for her to attack and Hide watched as Hinami came at him.

"She's improved greatly," he stated. Touka nodded.

"Hinami is a quick learner – but her fight against a vampire might be different – in a day or so we decided to try her with more than one of us fighting her so we can see how she'll handle multiple attackers." Hide looked to Kaneki and took note in the way he let her attack him and then turned in the grip she had and caught her.

"Kaneki seems to have changed his fighting style," Hide told Touka and the girl blinked as if she hadn't realized it.

"What? Really?" he nodded.

"Yea, Kaneki is pretty good at judging people and he sees details that others don't – that Empathic thing as you call it – allows him to alter his fighting to combat someone else's more efficiently. They call it tactical combat, a person who can do that is a combat tactician. He can use some of the most simple acts to outwit someone else….I've even seen him use psychological trauma on his opponents in the recent months. It's similar to the thing he did to that vampire in the CCG tower," he stated.

"How did you notice that?" Hide laughed.

"Kaneki was like this before he became a ghoul – it just grew stronger after he became one – he noticed things about people that even I missed and I pride myself on being a good judge of character or being perceptive, but he kept this side of him tucked away because it freaked some people out how perceptive he could be," he said.

"Figures you'd know about it before any of us did – you've known Kaneki most of his life so…" Touka watched as the white haired boy crouched and flared the Rinkaku out causing Hinami to step back and block his attack.

"Yea, but seeing him fight when he's normally so gentle….it's a little unnerving even after almost three years….I used to think – here's Kaneki, my best friend, he's an introvert, he's shy and quiet, amazingly smart, remarkably kind and sincere with people. Kaneki let others hurt him but would never harm someone if he could help it – he was a passivist – and he was happy despite his own internal damages he'd done to himself….now….I don't really see the passivist introvert who was so kind to people he couldn't even think of hurting them because it made him ill…" Touka looked at him.

"Seems like we keep coming back to this conversation just because we have too….because we're not certain about things that we thought we knew about Kaneki…I'm his girlfriend and I can't pinpoint things about him still…" Hide smiled as he looked to her.

"That's true….but he's still himself. Touka? Promise me something…." She looked to him.

"What is it?" Hide watched his friend turn and stop Hinami who asked for a break he nodded and patted her head telling her how well she'd improved.

"Don't let him break again…I don't know if he can come back from that a second time….so please hold him together….I'm his best friend but he loves you…..you have his heart Touka….so keep him from coming apart at the seams please…" Touka felt her eyes grow wide.

" _I'm falling apart at the seams and I can't stitch myself up fast enough….I feel so numb compared to how I used to feel…."_

The memory from two years ago ran through her mind, the brittle smile that was heart-rending to see, the whisper tone voice, the raw pain she saw in his eyes. That memory had given her the push she needed for so long and now it was being seen by Hide who also saw how much like a diamond his best friend was. Hard, strong, and beautiful in a way that seemed tragic, and also incredibly frail. Touka hadn't really ever seen something like that in real life up until she met Kaneki who had always shined with so much innocence that it was discomforting – he had been the uncut diamond and the world the tool that would break him and turn him into something that it viewed as acceptable – Touka bit her lip. She had almost forgot how beautiful his smile had been until she could no longer see it. She felt her eyes burn at that memory again and nodded stiffly to Hide.

"I will…I promise…" Hide smiled.

"Thanks Touka, he may be stronger than he once was but he needs someone to help him and I can't protect him like I used to," he said honestly. She nodded again.

"I understand. I love him too much to let him break apart like that again."

 **{August 1st, 10:45pm}**

Kaneki flinched in his sleep as Touka moved a little closer and his sense of hearing started to pick up something. The scuffle of boot clad feet as they walked down the street, the flutter of cloaks, the clink of metal and the scent – though his sense of smell wasn't like Hinami's – he knew it was something bad. Sitting up in a manner that roused Touka he locked eyes to the window beside her bed and moved over towards it before peaking through the curtains to see white and gray clad figures moving through the streets. Anxiety whirled through him. Touka waited to see his reaction. He shut the curtain slowly and carefully.

"Kaneki? What's going on?" he looked to her.

"Grab your mask and get dressed quick…" he moved away slowly and she looked at him in worry.

"What's happening…that smell…" she noticed it when she realized the sound of movement in the streets came to her ears.

"Touka, the vampires are in the streets – we need to get everyone into the underground area now," he said.

"Right…"

The two of them were quick to change in to the black attire they normally would wear when going on a hunt and adorned their masks before moving into the hallway where they opened the door to Nishiki and Kimi's room. The two were already up and dressed – Nishiki nodded to him and they followed the two out before going to Hide and alerting him. Touka got Hinami up and got her dressed quickly before giving her mask to her and then ushering her into the hall. Ayato came out of his room with his mask in hand as he looked to Kaneki and Touka who nodded to confirm his suspicion before they began to walk down the stairs slowly one by one and into the cellar where they would go further downstairs to underneath Anteiku. Hiding wasn't their original plan, but it would be better right then than fighting the hoard of what the ghouls had counted to be at a minimum of fifty. The noble vampire was trying to flush them out and it wasn't going to work. They finally made it into the cellar and walked further down a set of stairs to the underground area before looking at the others.

"Vampires are in the streets, they're trying to get us to come out but none of them know that Anteiku is here – they can't tell because there's no sign to tell them that. We need to stay quiet and alert," Touka stated as the group remained standing and waiting.

"If the vamps do something what do we do then?" Kaneki had his mask pooled around his throat for the time being like most of them.

"If they attack we strike back. None of us are going to just let them walk on us," he said.

"So you're telling us to go into a war with them?" Nishiki looked at him and he looked to the side.

"I don't want to tell you to do anything, but we aren't just going to allow them to attack us! They didn't get the message apparently when we took down the lab – now we have to make the threat we delivered to the Noble from the idiot that tried to attack us yesterday an honest truth – we have no choice," he answered.

"Agreed, if they attack Anteiku we have to slaughter them." There was a collective nod from the group and Kaneki looked upwards as a crash came from the street but not directly above them.

"Looks like they've decided to force us out."

 **{Streets of the Twentieth Ward}**

The vampires had been searching the twentieth ward for a few hours since sundown – their leader, Prosfair, determined to get revenge – the Noble that had issued the attack on the Ghouls had asked Prosfair which one of them had appeared to be the leader, and now the still badly bruised vampire was going after the white haired beast that had wounded him. He gritted his teeth as he ordered attacks on the buildings when he noted their scents had vanished.

"Find them and bring the blue haired girl to me! That white haired monster and her are mates – I want them brought to me alive! Kill the rest!" he ordered.

Something about the situation had him on edge despite having come in with so many with him. They were hiding, but he questioned the reason behind it – were they just hiding to avoid a fight? Or where they plotting something? His eyes traced the buildings in search of a sign of them but found nothing, his senses detected that they had vanished and his anger grew. Another attack on a building next to one with a tattered red cover on the lower windows and a set of windows above that showed what may have once been a coffee shop had done something though. A shadow came flying out of nowhere and sliced through several of his men in a single strike causing him to still. Bluish-red wings opened in the darkness, one like it with the colors of a phoenix and elegant violet was near it, crystals shot outwards at them as they took to defending themselves.

Prosfair's eyes grew wide as a pale red form that favored a butterfly's wings opened and tendrils with hooks at the end tore into his men and shielded the others from their attacks as a blue tail swept their feet out from under them and ruby tendrils slid from the shadows and tore through them only to stop inches from his face. A shuffle of footsteps was all he needed to know that the Ghouls were out there with them. His eyes grew wide as the white haired ghoul came forward.

"So, you've decided to come for us have you?" he smirked.

"I have indeed…and I brought some support," Prosfair stated.

The single visible eye grew wide as something large came from the shadows and pinned them. A lion like beast with the tail of a serpent came down on Ayato as he struggled to fight off one of the monsters while the others were pinned in different areas. Hinami tensed under the sharp claws of the monster holding her. Nishiki felt the beats bite into his leg and he let out a sharp yell as Kaneki turned and was pinned on his stomach as the creature dug its claws into his back. He hissed but took in the pain as the others were left unable to throw the monster off. He felt panic override him as he looked to the others as the vampire that they had dealt with yesterday came into the area and crouched down in front of him.

"You told me yesterday that your group would take everything from the vampires. Well, how about now I take what's precious to you? I'll start with the one in glasses, then the blue haired boy, then that sweet little girl until all that's left is you and the bitch…and then….I'll let you watch as my Chimera rips her heart out of her chest and she chokes on her own blood," he said.

Terror ran through Kaneki's body as he saw the Chimera bite harder into Nishiki's leg and the other Chimera reach for Ayato's throat. The two released their Kagune and blood gushed from one Chimera as Nishiki was forced to fight the wounded beast off as Ayato screamed in pain as the beast tore into his Kagune. Hinami cried out in fear and Touka thrashed to get loose. Kaneki felt his heart racing faster by the second, his breathing becoming ragged as he tried to get out from under the beast's weight. The others were going to die, he felt his mind race through the situation. The scent of blood becoming overpowering.

An odd ache developed in his body and his vision swam momentarily as he felt the sharp throb in his head develop as his body struggled under the Chimera to get to the others. Ayato screamed as the beast ripped at his Kagune and Touka tried to get to her brother – he had to stop them – his fear ran through him as he realized once again he was the victim and this time he was taking everyone else down with him. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the smirking vampire in front of him – he wanted nothing more than to rip the vampire's throat out and watch him choke on his own blood ate him alive. A vicious rage boiled in his veins as he looked at the now laughing vampire and heard the screams of the others, smelt their blood and tears as the Chimera tore at them.

"Stop…" the vampire stopped laughing.

"You are pathetic, you cannot defeat me now that these beasts are pinning you – we made sure they were strong enough to handle a Ghoul – and I want to watch you suffer and make sure you know your place foolish trash!" the vampire kicked him and he ducked his head in time to not suffer any severe damage minus a busted lip that healed almost instantly.

"Just stop…..while you're ahead…" the other frowned.

"You heal quicker than we do – my, that is fascinating – maybe I should take you back to my master and let him have a look at you….." the man jerked him up by his hair and looked at him.

"Don't…" the vampire smirked.

"Someone with your body is the perfect _experiment_ – your healing rate is higher than our own…and you're strong….makes me wonder how much of your body could be taken apart and it still regenerate…" Touka felt her eyes grow wide at the words.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM! DON'T YOU FUCKING EVEN THINK OF TOUCHING HIM!" she locked her black and red eyes on the vampire as her Kagune burst forward and stabbed the Chimera in the shoulder. It howled but dug its claws into her shoulder. She screamed in pain as Kaneki shot the vampire a menacing glare.

"Oh? And what will you do bitch? Your just a whore anyways – maybe we can see what vampiric ghoul offspring are like – they might be just what we need to take the world down to the last peg and put it under our control!" Kaneki hissed and the vampire as well as the others turned back to look at him.

"I'll kill you…" Touka felt a chill run down her spine at the tone – it didn't sound like he normally did.

"Haha….look at you – empty threats as they are – you can't do anything. I was going to kill your whore but I think her and the little brat will be good breeding specimens to see how well the addition of a Ghoul's abilities will be to the vampires," Prosfair stated as he looked at the boy who now had his visible eye half open.

"I'll devour you…..bastard…..I'll make you wish you'd never glanced in the direction of the twentieth ward…" the vampire laughed as the few others stepped back, a sensation of danger coming to them.

"And what will you do? Try and stab me with that freakish tentacle thing you have? Please boy, you are out classed," he said.

The man watched as the boy gritted his teeth and suddenly there was a burst of blood and the Chimera howled in agony as tentacles of ruby red tore it apart and the boy stood hunched over slightly, his breathing a ghost of a sound as he swayed a bit at his movement. The other ghouls froze at the sensation of terror and a wicked and slight laugh left the white haired boy while the vampire's eyes grew wide.

"You are out classed….who the fuck do you think I am? Kannou preferred his experiments screwed up in the head enough to go to an extreme measure…for a ghoul….cannibalizing one's own is fairly extreme…..but it lends an extra support to those who survive the insanity…" a mask, black and crooked with an eye at the center appeared as a psychotic smile spread across his face and his hair ruffled a bit while the Kagune appeared behind him and spread out almost like a web.

"What the….hell are you exactly?" the boy stood straight as two black and red insect like Kagune appeared and the boy smiled in a wild manner.

"Me? Just….a shadow."

 **{…..}**

 _To stay strong put up a fight…_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: So, there's chapter 11. Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign is completed therefore the updates for this will be more frequent.

I did the ending this way for some action in Chapter 12. And because I wanted to slowly develop Kaneki having a bit more control over his Kakuja as time goes on.

There's not much else to say except that I look forward to seeing your reactions to the chapters.

Here's the preview:

Ayato recalled saying he wanted to see what Kaneki's Kakuja looked like – but not like this – and he never thought it would be like it was. Fear coiled in him as his sister did her best to calm the boy who now had come undone under the pressure of the Kakuja. It was psychotic, it showed the damage done to his mental state, it was savage and wild, his eyes were unseeing – focused on nothing but the torment inside – and his power and strength was mind numbing. But it was a little girl with butterfly wings that somehow saved him from himself as Touka felt at a loss.

"Kaneki! PLEASE STOP! YOU'RE MY BIG BROTHER I NEED YOU HERE!" This little girl wanted to fight for those she loved and now she was facing one of her greatest fears.

Chapter 12: Fight! Hinami!


	12. Chapter 12: Fight! Hinami!

Chapter 12: Fight! Hinami!

The vampire's screams and the Chimera's howls were ringing in her ears. Hinami looked onward as Touka and the others stayed out of the path of the fight between the Kakuja Ghoul – her brother, she felt her eyes burn with tears – and the beasts. The Kakuja they noted had gotten more in his control since the last time they'd seen it, but Kaneki was still being overtaken by the effects. Her chest ached as she watched, and she saw him struggle to stay in control of it as the Chimera were slain and left as splatters of organs, blood, bone and tissues on the walls of buildings and the streets turned red. The vampires were nothing but playthings to the other as he tore into them and left them to die of horrible wounds as he made his way towards the vampire responsible for the hellish transformation. Prosfair stayed against a wall, soaked in the blood of his men and the beasts he had controlled as the Ghoul came towards him in a near predatory fashion and his eyes locked on the Kagune that was in a relaxed state behind him almost favoring the tails of a fox once more.

"You're...a demon!" Kaneki turned his head in a near mechanical fashion.

"And you….are a parasite…" The vampire screamed as the Kagune tore into him, pinning his arms and legs and another pierced his stomach. Hinami put her hands to her ears as she watched – it wasn't like him and she knew that it was a silly thing to think because he had changed.

After the eleventh ward Hinami had known he was different – she'd seen it too much to not notice – and it hurt, but she understood he had to change to survive and protect the ones he loved. Hinami had willingly went with him and Tsukiyama, Banjou, and their little group had done fairly well up until the time where she had heard Banjou and the others discussing their fear of what Kaneki was becoming, and realization dawned on them what had happened. She knew when she heard he'd been eating other ghouls what would happen to him, but this wasn't what she had thought of entirely. It was dark, demonic in a sense but not to the point of which she was sure the vampires saw it. To her it had an odd beauty to it that she wondered if anyone else saw. The Kakuja was wicked in appearance, but reflected his own suffrage and she saw a strange beauty in that.

" _But he's in pain…don't they see that? He's hurting and he needs someone to help him…."_

"Touka…" her voice was small as she looked at the girl.

"Hinami, please don't look – he doesn't want you seeing him like this I know…" she said as she placed her hands on her cheeks. The brunette haired girl felt tears well up in her eyes.

"He's hurting….please help him Touka…he's trying so hard to control it but its hurting to much….please….help my big brother." Touka felt her eyes soften as she hugged the girl.

"Okay….I'll do what I can…."

The vampire was dead by this point – lying in pieces on the ground still drenched in blood – but the boy was near howling in pain as he clutched at his head and the Kagune thrashed as he tried to reign in what had gotten out of his control once again. How many more times would it take till he killed someone he loved? A scuffle of footsteps caught his attention and he looked at Touka as she came towards him without her Kagune out – trying to appear calming instead of threatening to his pain addled brain – but it still made him tense and question if he could stop himself from killing her. Kaneki swatted at her blinding with his Kagune which she was able to dodge before her arms were around him. His eye changed to normal only for a brief second before he felt his instincts override his reason and he bit down on her shoulder. Touka hissed as she clawed at his back and shoulders and he tried to stop himself from doing what he was tempted to. Unlike other ghouls Touka tasted sweet, and slightly spicy to him and it was a welcomed taste despite his stomach churning and knotting itself as he tried to stop. A gentle hand came into his hair and he ripped himself away, wounding her shoulder as he scrambled and the Kagune thrashed while he tried to fight it.

"Kaneki…." She tried to reach for him but was swatted away. Touka coughed as she remained slumped against the wall she had been thrown into.

"S-stay back…" his breathing was shaky and his body shivering as if he was cold as he tried to pin himself to something that would help him stop what was happening to him. He had to get away from them until it calmed down again like when he was with Banjou and the others and felt it coming and would leave long enough to reign it back in.

His legs shook as he tried to move and he wrapped an arm around his waist in a failed attempt to stop the dull aches that had developed in his ribs from not only the fight but the movement of the Kagune. Touka watched him try to move away only for his body to cave and him to sink to his knees again as his instincts took over. He was starving, there were ghouls here – the mindset of which the Kakuja took him into was questionable he knew – but he still considered what his mind was telling him like it had when he'd rescued Hide only to succumb to his own hunger and attempt to eat him. Fear riddled his body like an infectious disease as he tried to rationalize his thoughts and his body moved on its own. He stood and felt the Kagune spread outwards as he stood amidst the small fire from the attacks on the buildings, the corpses and blood soaked street looking as if he had crawled his way out of hell itself.

Ayato recalled saying he wanted to see what Kaneki's Kakuja looked like – but not like this – and he never thought it would be like it was. Fear coiled in him as his sister did her best to calm the boy who now had come undone under the pressure of the Kakuja. It was psychotic, it showed the damage done to his mental state, it was savage and wild, his eyes were unseeing – focused on nothing but the torment inside – and his power and strength was mind numbing. But it was a little girl with butterfly wings that somehow saved him from himself as Touka felt at a loss. Hinami pushed away from the others and ran towards Kaneki before throwing her arms around him as she felt him jerk to try and escape her grasp and though it was weak she still held on tightly as she tried to bring him back.

"Kaneki! PLEASE STOP! YOU'RE MY BIG BROTHER I NEED YOU HERE!" This little girl wanted to fight for those she loved and now she was facing one of her greatest fears. But to his relief her fear would be short lived.

Hinami felt him still and dropped to his knees before resting his head on her shoulder. She tensed as the Kagune vanished into a red mist and that wicked mask crumbled while he placed a shaky hand on her head as his other wrapped around her and pulled her close. She cried, wailed as she put her head on his shoulder and the others felt relief flood them as the girl held onto him and Touka made her way back to him before dropping to her knees to pull them into a hug as thunder rolled above their heads and she felt Kaneki slump to the side. She stared as Hinami panicked and her arms wrapped around the now unconscious boy.

"It's okay Hinami, he's just asleep – he's exhausted himself trying to keep control," Touka said as she placed a gentle hand on her head.

"He….was hurting….Touka…please…don't let him hurt…" the girl was in tears still. Ayato sighed as he felt his Kagune stitching itself up as he picked up the arm of a vampire and bit into it to begin healing before looking at the girl.

"Nishiki? Can you walk?" he asked. The other nodded as he hobbled a bit.

"Yea, I just need to eat and rest." The pale brunette paused as he looked at the doorway of Anteiku to see Hide and Kimi present.

"Everyone alive?" asked Hide as he came into the street and looked at Touka and then to Kaneki.

"Yea, hurt but we're alive – I guess you two saw the Kakuja huh?" he nodded.

"We did, but….we need to get inside and check over everyone before the other things out here come to pick on the corpses," he stated.

"Okay…"

 **{Anteiku: 10:25pm – August 3** **rd** **}**

Touka sighed as she looked at the dark clouds out of her window. It was raining again – it had been since yesterday night – she turned her attention back to the bowl of ice water she had a cloth in. ringing it out she brushed some of Kaneki's bangs from his forehead and placed it to his forehead gently while feeling of his cheeks. There was a knock at the door and she turned to see Hide and Ayato standing there peering in. she nodded and they entered before shutting the door. Ayato stood by it while Hide came over to her.

"Still running a fever?" he asked. She nodded.

"He over did it…but I know why he struggled to stay in control – there's no telling what would have happened if he hadn't fought back." Ayato narrowed his eyes.

"When I heard he had a Kakuja I hadn't realized how dangerous it was…that was abnormal for one of those….hell everything about him is abnormal," he stated.

"It would make sense if you consider he used to be human." To that Ayato blinked.

"The hell? A human? Could have fooled me with what he's capable of….then again….I guess it makes sense…if you think back to how he was when Aogiri first got a hold of him," he said.

"Yea…" Hide sighed as he felt of the other's pulse.

"His pulse is a little quicker than normal, but other than that he's pretty stable. At most I guess just some more rest and keeping a tab on that fever is our best ability for the time being," he informed Touka.

"Okay, I'll stay with him…" Ayato eyed the three of them.

"What did he mean by Kannou's experiments?" he questioned.

"You didn't know that Kannou was working for Aogiri Tree?" Ayato shook his head.

"No idea…what did the guy do to him?" he inquired this and Touka looked back at the white haired boy.

"He took Rize Kamishiro's organs and transplanted them into Kaneki's body after that accident that took place – soon after that Kaneki's body changed into one that is physiologically identical to ours – according to what we've learned Doctor Kannou had done this several times before and does this in order to create One-Eyed Ghouls." Ayato gritted his teeth at that.

"That's sick…hell I didn't like the guy when I first met him but I don't care who they are – I can't think of anyone who deserved to have their bodies screwed with based upon what? Some sort of freakish choice to up and see what happens when you put ghoul organs inside a human body?" he snapped.

"Makes you wonder what would happen if you put human organs inside a ghoul's body." They paused at Hide's statement.

"What do you mean by that?" questioned Touka. Hide shrugged.

"I was just wondering – if Kaneki's body became this way because of the Kagune sack that was implanted into his body – what would happen if you were to remove it?" Touka gave him a long look.

"His body would probably go into shock. He's been like this to long by now – turning him human again would kill him or drive him insane – you couldn't possibly be thinking…" Hide shook his head.

"No, I'm not, I was just curious….I mean it seems like a logical switch if you think about it – you can turn a human into a half-ghoul by implanting a Kagune sack and it doesn't have the lessened years effect like a typical organ transplant does. Instead I would wager that it boosted the years he'd live…but if you were to transplant a human's organs into a ghoul what do you think would happen?" Ayato stared.

"Either our bodies would absorb the organ or we would become human in most senses," he said. Hide nodded.

"I thought so – or you body's would reject the organ and you would die. Those are the only three options if you think of it. But I've wondered about that for a while now." Touka looked back at Kaneki.

"The rain won't let up huh?" Ayato groaned.

"I hate the rain – it freaking sucks! It's wet, cold, there's lightning and thunder! Who wants that! Give me somewhere dry and cool year round please," he said in exasperation.

"Kaneki likes the rain – when we were in junior high school I found out about that when he showed up at my house drenched from head to toe and it was almost October." Touka looked to Hide.

"I preferred it too…it felt cleansing. I guess that's why Kaneki likes it too," she said.

"Probably…..uh….hey look who's up!"

Kaneki blearily glanced at them while Touka smiled and felt of his cheeks – she was pleased to know that his fever had gone down despite the pink flush he still had – she took the cloth off his forehead and dipped it into the cool water again before retching it out and placing it back on his forehead. He sighed as he momentarily closed his eyes and then looked at Hide and Ayato in questioning. Hide smiled bright while Ayato rolled his eyes.

"What are…." Hide got a little closer.

"You outta see your yourself – you look like hell man – but we came to check up on you because you've been asleep for the last two days and had been running a fever," said Hide as he smiled a bit.

"I feel like it…is it raining again?" Touka nodded.

"It is…your running a fever from the Kakuja – do you remember what happened?" she asked. He nodded a bit numbly.

"You're okay right?" Touka blinked.

"Oh….I'm fine! You need to be worried about yourself idiot!" she bashed him over the head and he flinched in pain before Ayato rolled his eyes.

" _Couples….I hope I don't end up being this cheesy if I find a girlfriend."_

"I know…I'm sick take it easy Touka!" she huffed before dabbing at his forehead with the cold cloth.

"You scared Hinami – she was able to help you pull it back this time – and I hardly could. She was anxious but she fought in a different way to save you Kaneki….you owe her a thanks and an apology," Touka told him.

"I know…Hide? Are the others okay?" the blonde nodded.

"Yep, Nishiki is all healed up almost and the rest of us got off easy compared to what could have happened if you hadn't gone centipede on us," he told him. Kaneki glanced to the side.

"I guess…thanks for the moral support….I don't feel like I've done a lot of good though…" Touka once more huffed before smiling.

"You did better, it was more in control this time," she stated. Kaneki smiled just a bit.

"Really? That's….good to hear…."

 **{August 4** **th** **8:45am}**

Ayato looked at the others as Hinami spoke with Kimi and Hide and Nishiki set to fixing cups of coffee for the group. He felt oddly out of place even though Anteiku had become his home and the ghouls and humans here had become his family – it still struck him as odd he considered humans as family – but he knew why it felt strange. Kaneki and Touka were still upstairs sleeping, however, he also felt something odd about their previous situation. If the Noble sent that vampire to kill them why not use the Quinque weapons they had from the CCG? And why had that vampire suddenly decided to take Kaneki, Touka, and Hinami just out of curiosity and for experimental purposes? It seemed a bit to sudden for his liking.

"I gotta ask….do any of you get that the feeling that vampire was just a decoy?" the group seemed to pause.

"Yea….when he mentioned taking Kaneki, Touka, and Hinami I figured as much," said Nishiki.

"Take them?" Ayato nodded at Kimi's question.

"That vampire that attacked us found out how fast Kaneki can heal and saw it as an opportunity to use him and Touka and Hinami as a means of breeding and experimentation. He said he was curious as to how a half vampire ghoul would be…something about that snap decision made me realize that the vampire's master probably wants us for an experiment to see how to defeat us and to strengthen them….we've become their natural predators," he stated.

"But we can't be the only natural predator right?" they looked to Hide.

"What are you talking about?" the blonde frowned at Hinami's question.

"There was this book I read one time that was done as an old research form back when the CCG was researching other creatures that could be out there in hiding that posed a threat to humanity – amongst their listings were several that actually are listed as the natural predator of a vampire – and you wouldn't believe what's on there." The others leaned in a bit to pay attention.

"What do you mean there's a list of some kind that tells us what else is out there?" questioned Kimi.

"It's possible….that they survived. But I kept the book because I found it interesting – it's not listed as fiction though – its listed as a research report series complied into one book…I remember the list they compiled and it was pretty remarkable…" Ayato frowned.

"Would you just tell us? I'm getting tired of the bush beating," he said. Hide sighed.

"Fine…they said that werewolves weren't a threat nor were Chimera – both of which we've seen so there's no point in denying their existence – vampires and demons are major threats, but there are two creatures that are the most destructive against all of them." Hinami frowned.

"Just two? That doesn't seem that good," she mentioned. Hide nodded.

"Normally, it wouldn't be. But there is an acception here because a Ghoul is listed as the secondary one." The others seemed relieved at that.

"Okay, that's good, but what else is so powerful or dangerous that they have that kind of effect on vampires, demons, Chimera, and werewolves?" inquired Kimi.

"Simple, something divine in nature….or at least….formally divine….I'm talking about a particular type of fallen Angel." The group stared.

"Fallen Angels? What kind of Fallen Angels are we talking about here?" asked Nishiki. Hide sighed at that and scratched the back of his head.

"Seraphims….they're six winged angels with amazing talents and abilities…see there was a mention of this group that worked on some kind of project that the CCG was keeping an eye on around two-thousand and four….but they were also keeping tabs on it even up until the fall in twenty-twelve." They seemed to think about this momentarily.

"A doomsday cult? Sounds like fun," said someone from the stairwell. The group turned to see Touka standing there with Kaneki leaning against the wall behind her.

"Oh? You guys have been listening?" they nodded as they came over to the counter and took a seat next to each other.

"Yea…we've heard the whole story. So, are we supposed to go looking for these Seraphims?" asked Kaneki.

"No, I could look at the file I got, but there's no telling what exactly happened to that sect who decided to dabble in what was listed as _the Curse of the Seraphs._ To me that says to steer clear of it – but hey, when has this group listened to that kind of warning?" the others laughed a little.

"True, but learning more might mean an alliance with the only other thing that can put a stopper on the plans of the fangs," said the white haired ghoul.

"You have a point there….I can do some digging in the files….from what I saw when I was getting the information there were four who had what was called the Seraph Gene but I don't know what their names are, what happened to them, or any of that stuff….but I can find out." Hide smiled brightly and the others glanced out the windows or nodded.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. If they can help us I say we start searching for them…um…Kaneki what's wrong?" asked Nishiki.

"Someone's watching us…" the group went on alert as Hinami took in a few deep sniffs of the air and felt her skin prickle.

"Chimera, no vampires…at least from what I can tell…." she said before pausing.

"Hinami?" the girl put her feet on the ground.

"Werewolves and Chimera – a pack – we have a problem…" There was a crash from below them at the entrance of the building and the ghouls took in a deep breath as they heard the growls come from outside.

"They've found us. Get your masks in case they've sent vampires out after us and this is a decoy – we better hurry and stop them."

The group was quick to grab their masks – Ayato frowned as he put his own on and the humans grabbed theirs and their weapons – for now he figured keeping focused and not questioning why the Chimera and werewolves were working together should bother him so greatly. Taking a deep breath the group split up into small groups and started to head to the roof. Kaneki, Touka and Ayato set to the top while Hide, Kimi, Nishiki, and Hinami were set to the door way with the two ghouls in the front with the two humans in the back. Unfortunately leaving Hide and Kimi unguarded in this situation was not an option therefore they both were on the bottom level preparing to attack with Nishiki and Hinami. Kaneki glanced at Touka and Ayato who nodded and the Chimera leading the pack looked around – it was enormous in size, a large main around its neck and a set of sabertooth fangs as it looked around for them. The group waited as the beast roared as if to give an order and the people from the ground level attacked.

Kaneki and Touka took one quick glance to one another before with a nod she came down on the one nearest to the pack leader and startled the beast as she broke its spine with the pressure of the force. She turned, her Ukaku crystalizing as she did and shot out at the others while Ayato descended and Kaneki waited for the leader of the pack to become confused. The siblings took out a few near it as Hinami lashed out at the leader as if to move him into position before Kaneki stood and flipped down from the roof top and wrapped his Rinkaku around its throat before landing a hit similar to Touka's on its back. The beast howled but its bones did not break. He jerked his Rinkaku to the side and a gush of blood bloomed from the beast's throat as he cartwheeled away and came to Touka's side as it thrashed and then ran after him.

Pale red tendrils shot forward and hooked the monster in the side. Hinami narrowed her eyes as she opened her wings and flapped them just enough to push herself back while she gave a loud scream and slung the beast into the side of a building down from Anteiku and ran after it. She jumped into the air as the others followed her and dealt with the smaller ones as they went while Hinami gave another scream as the monster turned on her and bit into her left Ukaku wing before she gritted her teeth and jumped, tearing it further before spinning mid-air and landing a sharp hit on it as she opened her wounded Kagune and struck the monster hard as Touka and Ayato shot a crystal barrage at the monster and Kaneki jumped upwards and struck it while still up in the air out of its range. The two of them came down on the monster at once with the exact same crushing blow as Hinami took in a deep breath as the monster gave a dying howl and she crouched to her knees as a monstrous howl went through the area and the group turned to look at the werewolf that now stood on its hind legs and made near ground trembling steps towards them.

"Who in the hell gave that dog steroids?" asked Ayato as he flared his wings and Hinami gripped at the bite on her Kagune.

"Hinami?" Kaneki put a hand on her other shoulder and she nodded.

"I can still fight!"

She stood and spread her Kagune out as Kaneki prepared for the next onslaught with her. Touka and Ayato paired up while Hide and Kimi guarded themselves against the smaller ones and Nishiki stood next to the front. His mind began to work on a plan as the monster crouched and bellowed out a powerful roar-like howl that nearly pushed them back. The group tilted back on their heels only to steady themselves a bit more. Ghouls were a natural predator of the werewolf according to Hide's findings thus far – however, he also knew how a Bikaku and two Ukaku type ghouls would fair. Stamina wasn't their strong point, they were weaker in that department, but their attacks could be proven effective only if they got in their strikes within a small window of speed. His eyes glanced at Kaneki and Hinami – two Rinkaku types – and while Hinami was a Chimera type Kagune with an Ukaku stamina, her attacks were like that of a Rinkaku which benefited them. His eyes lingered on Kaneki as the boy remained calm and composed. His abnormally high speed and agility would be the main benefactor in this task of taking down the werewolf.

"Kaneki….we'll create a path for you and Hinami to attack it directly with up close – both our stamina is lower than yours so it's up to you two to bring it down all the way once we get our hits in," Nishiki said. Hide yelped as he was thrown into the wall of a building and Kimi ran the werewolf through before taking in a few deep breaths.

"Alright…Hinami?" the girl narrowed her Kakugan colored eyes.

"Bring it on!"

Nishiki ran forward and moved to the left as Touka took the right and Ayato went to the center. Kaneki and Hinami drew in on the sides confusing the werewolf as it lashed at the three others while Kimi and Hide braced themselves against the last few of the werewolves. Nishiki flipped and struck the monster in the shoulders as Touka shot into its ribcage causing it to lash at her and Ayato took that advantage and charged it. He wrapped his arms around it as he flipped onto its back and bit into is other shoulder as he struck both arms and bit down hard before ripping and moving back. The group of three moved away just in time for Hinami to move in a spin kick which crushed the werewolf's ribs. It grabbed her ankle and threw her causing her to scream in shock before balling herself up in her Ukaku for protection as Kaneki shot a claw like attack at it and slashed the beast across the face just in time for Hinami to come flying back with her two Kagune formed in a piercing motion as the group descended upon it and the five ghouls managed to kill off the werewolf. They hit the ground taking in deep breaths as they got themselves sorted out as they looked at the area now riddled once more with the corpses of monsters.

"That thing tasted like crap!" Ayato spit out some of the blood.

"You didn't swallow it did you?" asked Touka blandly.

"Hell no! I just wounded the thing I wasn't eating that!" Hinami took in a few deep breaths as the others found themselves glad that it had gone as well as they'd planned.

"At least….it wasn't near a full moon…" their attention turned to the voice and slight panic filled them as Hide gripped his upper arm as blood dripped from it.

"Hide!" the group were over to him and Kimi in a flash while the red haired girl did her best to check the bite.

"How deep is that?" asked Hinami in worry.

"We need to get him inside and treat it so it doesn't get infected." The others felt worry fill them as Hide stood and received some help to get back inside Anteiku from Kaneki and Touka while they all wondered what would happen now.

 **{…}**

 _I'm so lost but not afraid…_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: I know what those of you who have read Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign are thinking – but don't worry, while a certain blonde in the other story may not have as many problems – Hide also will not turn full werewolf on us. He will get stronger, but I am making my werewolves a little different than typical werewolf lore – merely because I am basing it off a bit of reading I did back in high school on werewolves that said that if someone wasn't bitten near a Full Moon then they gain attributes similar to if one was scratched but in an almost complete usage of abilities. But no fears, Hide will not become a man-eating ...oh….we have some of those already sorry…..no offense to the ghouls. But he won't become a monster or something like that so….

Hide fans please do not throw things at me or threaten me – he is just going to become as badass as the rest of the ghouls is all

Now, here's your preview:

Much to their fortune, Hide knew a good bit about the supernatural – Kaneki claimed he had been obsessed with it for most of his life – and for once, it came in handy. With his knowing of the way these situations worked with werewolves their minds were put to slight ease as they tried to think of what to do now that they faced the chances of more attacks coming. Hide would be fine, stronger, a little faster, have a taste for raw meat, and occasionally have senses just as high as the ghouls, but he wasn't the problem – it was the recent attacks.

"I have a feeling in coming months we're going to be facing a lot more trouble," said Kaneki as he looked at the now bandaged wound on Hide's arm.

"Agreed, but when do you think they'll become less active?" Kaneki looked at them at Kimi's question.

"Our best bet is to hold out till winter," he said.

Chapter 13: For Those We Love


	13. Chapter 13: For Those We Love

Chapter 13: For Those We Love

Much to their fortune, Hide knew a good bit about the supernatural – Kaneki claimed he had been obsessed with it for most of his life – and for once, it came in handy. With his knowing of the way these situations worked with werewolves their minds were put to slight ease as they tried to think of what to do now that they faced the chances of more attacks coming. Hide would be fine, stronger, a little faster, have a taste for raw meat, and occasionally have senses just as high as the ghouls, but he wasn't the problem – it was the recent attacks.

"I have a feeling in coming months we're going to be facing a lot more trouble," said Kaneki as he looked at the now bandaged wound on Hide's arm.

"Agreed, but when do you think they'll become less active?" Kaneki looked at them at Kimi's question.

"Our best bet is to hold out till winter– if we do that, then we can make the hunting for the vampires easier – the Chimera and werewolves are animals and though they might have wolf in them and they can thrive in winter conditions that doesn't mean they'll fair better," Kaneki told them.

"October then….two months…" he nodded a bit nimbly.

"What we need to do is have the five ghouls go on a mass hunt and stock up until October. If we do that then we diminish the number of vampires, and we also will make it easier for us to last and not go out till October."

"Wait….not go out? You mean you don't want us going into the area until October?" asked Nishiki. Kaneki sighed.

"We need to brace ourselves for a possible war with them once the fall or winter hits – they're not going to take it easy on us after these last two attacks failed – I would wager that the master of that vampire will come after us next because we succeeded in killing off his people and the beasts he had under his guard. I don't doubt that we'll be facing a war soon enough." The others felt sobered by that statement.

"He's right, we need to be prepared for a war – we should go out on a hunt tomorrow night – and take down extra to bring back here, and then we need to stay put and in hiding. They don't know where we came from when we attacked because we didn't need them knowing our location – at this point we need to use the time we might have to get stronger and also teach Hide and Kimi how to fight better," Touka stated as she looked at them and then the two humans.

"Why? They're okay aren't they?" Ayato shook his head at Hinami's question.

"No, if Hide and Kimi had been trained like you have been they wouldn't have gotten ganged up on by the smaller werewolves and Hide wouldn't have gotten bitten. They need to be stronger in order to live," he said.

"Okay then, we'll let you guys go hunt tomorrow night and rest for now. Another vital part of training is giving your body time to heal right? And right now I need sleep…." Hide stood and stretched before wincing as he felt a twinge in his wounded arm.

"That sounds like a good idea….we should get some sleep and get ourselves ready for tomorrow. We have a lot to do," Kaneki said as he headed upstairs with Touka following behind as she tried to reason out the upcoming events.

"Alright, night guys!" Hide waved as he shut the door to his room.

His mind was still a bit confused – it wasn't near the full moon –and he was thankful for that because it meant he wouldn't be turning into a werewolf. But he would grow stronger and faster, his senses would improve, and he might be able to actually fight alongside his friends. His mind gave him a brief flash of the Kakuja again and how it had become a bit more in Kaneki's control since last time. He was relieved, but also terrified that next time it wouldn't be that way. Hide sighed as he moved to lay on his bed before he heard a knock and glanced back before opening the door. Ayato was standing there looking a bit discomforted by something which made Hide let him in. the blue haired teenager sat down on the chair by the desk in the room while Hide himself settled on the bed. Ayato was concerned and he could tell – the other had a bad habit of wearing his heart on his sleeve despite what he thought – and Hide could tell it was about several things that had recently occurred that bothered him. Without question the recent attacks would be the biggest players, the second one being the Kakuja. Hide himself was taking note to how it had differed since last time. Ayato had never seen it before and he summarized there was a reason for his recent agreement but distance from Kaneki.

However, in the blue haired ghoul's mind he was still questioning things about the scene he'd witnessed. The few Kakuja he'd seen were wild, psychotic, uncontrollable, but there had been a few exceptions – like the one leading Aogiri Tree – that person was stable, but had no doubt cannibalized other ghouls most of their life. Ayato knew now that Kaneki wasn't born a half-ghoul and had only been part of their world for roughly three years now, and yet, he still found himself highly confused. The Kakuja he'd seen wasn't like others, not covering the entire body, working with the original Kagune, and one of the greatest problems – it wasn't just half-formed. Ayato looked to Hide who appeared a little nervous, and he figured it made sense, but he knew better than to try and hurt anyone here with Kaneki just in ear shot. His body tensed a bit at the thought – it wasn't like he would hurt someone here now anyways – but the idea of something happening and either Hinami catching the scent or worse Kaneki hearing it would result in something that he knew not even Touka could save him from.

"Your friend has got some strange things about him…" Ayato said off handedly. Hide laughed a little.

"Yea, Kaneki has always been like that." He shook his head at the blonde.

"No, did you know that his sense of smell is weaker than ours? But it's still stronger than a humans? Also, his eyesight and hearing is better than Hinami's which shouldn't be possible," he asked. Hide blinked.

"Really? Well, I noticed a few of those things but I never guessed that it was abnormal. I knew your senses were better than mine or Kimi's but I didn't think Kaneki's sense of smell was weaker and that his eyesight and hearing was better than Hinami's own. Not that it wasn't obvious when he was the one who alerted us to the vampires attacking when they had just been walking down the streets." Ayato nodded.

"He's abnormally fast and agile for a Rinkaku as well – you've been studying Ghouls for a bit now right? – tell me something, are Rinkaku types normally as fast or fluid in movement as he is?" Ayato questioned. Hide thought for a moment.

"You have a point…it's a bit strange though isn't it? Aren't Rinkaku types normally non-stamina based? I mean they don't have a limit like yours, Touka's or Nishiki's but they aren't extremely strong either. I noticed in the fights I've seen he's faster and stronger than normal ones plus he's also able to read people in fights….I guess that makes him hard to beat huh?" Ayato frowned at Hide's statement.

"Duh…he's freakish….even for a Ghoul he's not right…it's like there's something more to him and I think Touka knows but she isn't telling or she isn't sure either. I'm confused myself…" he said in a stiff tone.

"You guys are kind of friends now aren't you?" the blue haired ghoul scoffed.

"We're comrades, and he's in a relationship with my sister….if it wasn't for those things I probably wouldn't have much more to do with him. We weren't on the best of terms even when we worked together when he wasn't with Anteiku," Ayato said plainly. Hide frowned.

"He doesn't hate you and he's let go of what's happened. He could have killed you that time but he didn't." Ayato gave him a long look.

"Your right but….I just don't get a few things about him…and he unnerves me," he explained.

"Guess that makes sense. I got ask you something – I saw your face when the Kakuja came out – what about it worried you so much?" Hide questioned. Ayato frowned and glanced to the side.

"It's not just half-formed….it's at least eighty percent complete….but not humanoid or monster-like as most are….it complied with the Rinkaku he has and doubled with it. What we've been seeing is almost the final form…I don't know what drove him to do that, but it is frightening to think of what he might be able to do once it's in his control….we've already seen how powerful it is…" Ayato's words made sense to Hide in many ways, but it also worried him.

"What happens if the Kakuja is complete? Well…I guess the right question would be what happens to Kaneki if it's complete?" he inquired.

"At most he's going to be very powerful…..the few Kakuja I've seen completed are just about unstoppable. With the CCG not around anymore there's not much that can take him down….Kaneki would be our best bet against the vampires." Hide nodded.

"So he kind of is our leader for not being one…." He said absentmindedly. Ayato narrowed his eyes just a bit at the statement.

"Whether he likes it or not Kaneki is our leader – he's taken charge of a situation more often than not – and he's the strongest here….that normally makes him top dog in these kinds of situations." He crossed his arms over his chest and Hide sighed as he looked at the other.

"How do we know he's that strong though? I know physically he's stronger than the rest of us….but…what about mentally?" Ayato frowned at that.

"He's fine….if he was as disturbed as he should be mentally he wouldn't be this rational or calm. He'd be insane and wild – it only shows through in his actions at times. He is off his rocker but he's not so far gone into insanity that he isn't still stable. Touka seems to be grounding him pretty firmly so that's a good thing…" Hide smiled.

"When I found out that she had feelings for him I kind of wish it had been just walking in on a simple kiss….but it wasn't…" Hide stated vaguely. Ayato looked him over.

"What are you talking about? Touka was grumbling yesterday about how he wouldn't do much with her because he was worried about something happening." The blonde felt his cheeks grow warm.

"I don't need to ask what that worry is – but aren't you a little embarrassed about that? I mean she is your sister," Hide stated. The blue haired teen looked to the side.

"W-Whatever they do is their business…" the blonde laughed again.

"And you're stuttering – Touka would kick your ass if she found out you were eavesdropping," he informed the other who frowned and gave him a bland look.

"S-So? T-that doesn't mean I..." Hide gave him an imploring look.

"She's your sister….you already have voiced your personal opinion of how concerned you are…but….I walked in on them kissing – and it wasn't an innocent chase kiss….it was animalistic looking, bloody, they were clinging to each other, their instincts taken over…in some ways it was terrifying and in other ways it was kind of I don't know beautiful in an odd way…I guess it scared me because I had come in at the middle and not the beginning…." Hide's mind flashed that moment through his memory and he frowned.

"What the hell? Are you kidding me?" the blonde shook his head.

"No, I kind of wish I was joking but I'm not…it's kind of weird even thinking back on it but….yea…" Hide would admit he didn't exactly have the right words to put it together for the other who now had a blank expression with confused eyes.

"Oh…..so they….didn't…ya know…" the blonde gave him an imploring expression.

"You're a very crude person aren't you?" he inquired. Ayato rolled his eyes.

"Shut up blondie…anyways…I just want to make sure Kaneki isn't doing something with my sister…" Hide blinked.

"Uhhh….not my place if he doesn't tell me I can't say anything – not that I would – and you also told me to shut up so…." Ayato threw his hands in the air.

"I give! I can't win!" Hide laughed.

"You're a good brother – Hinami looks up to you too even though she thinks you're a big weird – so don't get so wound up, you'll find a girl for Touka to be protective over you about eventually," he said.

"You're a real brat you know?" Hide shrugged.

"I'm observant, comes with the territory…" Ayato looked at the clock that read _10:45pm_ and frowned.

"Speaking of which…have you noticed that Kaneki….I don't know…seems to be hyper aware of others on a different level…than most people?" to that Hide hummed before nodding.

"He's always been that way – Touka calls it his _empathy_ – but we don't really know what it is. He seems to connect to people differently as well, as if he can almost see what their souls are keeping hidden or what their hearts aren't letting through in their actions. Why ask?" Ayato looked down.

"He did that to me when I fought him – told me the only reason I joined Aogiri Tree was because I needed to protect something precious – and he was right….damn idiot was right…I wanted to protect Touka…" Hide nodded.

"Kaneki said that was why he chose to not be a victim anymore…it was to protect the ones he loved," he informed the other.

"Hmm…well…its late and I have to go hunting tomorrow night…best be off to bed…" Ayato stood and Hide nodded.

"You're a good person you know…I don't think Kaneki would let you openly be around those he cares for if he didn't…" the blue haired teen sighed.

"Well…I'm glad he trusts me…and I appreciate the talk Hide…you're not so bad for a human," Ayato stated bluntly. Hide grinned like a cat that ate the canary.

"Half-werewolf! I got bit remember?" the other rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, goodnight dog-boy…" Hide laughed as the other left. He was thankful that Ayato was trying to open up to the others instead of only speaking when he needed to in a group conversation.

" _Touka is lucky, she has a good brother…"_ Hide smiled to himself thankful that they all were still safe and sound.

 **{Anteiku Rooftop: 5:59am}**

"It's freezing out here!" Touka exclaimed as she rubbed her arms and settled down next to Kaneki who smiled as she had a blanket wrapped around her.

"Funny how August is cold at night when normally it's in the seventies even with the sun down." She frowned.

"The sun comes up soon….what? Are you trying to be romantic?" she questioned as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"No, I'm trying to spend some time with you before the day gets going. Not that there's much to do, but…you know it's…I guess the principle of the matter." She hummed in thought.

"I think you just wanted to seduce me," she said bluntly and he gave her a long look to which she frowned.

"Why would I try and seduce you?" she gave him a glance.

"Maybe because you are a teenager and you have some thoughts in your head," Touka stated. He sighed before moving towards her.

The blue haired girl stared as she was knocked over onto the ground and the boy looked her in the eyes before brushing her hair away from her face as she waited to see what he would do next. A gentle breath ghosted over her neck and she flinched as a hand caressed her side making her wonder what would happen. He leaned down and placed a gentle faint kiss to her pulse before sinking his teeth into her collar bone. In a matter of seconds she was flushed faced and had her eyes closed tight as a hand slid up to her ribs before the other went up her side and cupped her cheek causing her to look at him.

"The truth is you don't want me to do something yet…and here you are acting as if you do," he said calmly. She felt her cheeks flame blood red.

"So? What the hell is wrong with you? don't be….such a…." she gulped as he moved closer to her again and a hand once more traced up her side just under her chest over her ribs.

"Touka…don't try and fool me…" she frowned.

"Don't be such a tease! If you are going to do something to me then…" a kissed was placed to her lips, teeth biting her bottom one before she felt a hand slide up her shirt. She flushed dark and then glared as it stopped just at her stomach.

"You're being insincere." The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Insincere? You're the one who….who…" he smiled as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Touka, come on, it's okay…we don't have to rush things – at this point we really do have all the time in the world – and I don't think you need to worry to much," he stated simply. She sighed.

"I get stuck with the senseible idiot of course…fine…I see your point…" the hand slid back down to her hip.

"I'm not against some fun, but, we don't need to rush things," he gave her a small smile and she rose an eyebrow.

"Okay then…I won't rush things…but since you said some fun wasn't against the rules…" she knocked him over and smiled.

"Touka?" she placed a hand on his chest with a glint in her eyes that told him he might regret his words.

"I am going to have some fun.." and then he knew he would indeed regret that statement.

"T-Touka! W-What do you mean by that? Touka?" she smiled.

"Just enjoy it idiot…" a dark flush came to his cheeks.

"I surrender…" she smiled.

"Good, you would have lost anyways." With that she ducked down to capture his lips. He knew this was going to be a long morning.

 **{Downstairs}**

Kimi hummed as she made the coffee as Nishiki told her. Recently she had been rather at peace with the life everyone was living – she only concerned herself with a certain young couple – and to that thought she sighed. Her mind wandered to the life that Kaneki and Touka could have in this world. It most certainly was hard enough in their day to day basis, regardless of how peaceful it could be and she most certainly couldn't see someone raising children in this world. She frowned at that thought as she had others that day. The two of them were still children themselves and she couldn't see them doing something like that any time soon. As for herself and Nishiki she wondered honestly, if they would ever have children. Her heart ached a bit at that thought – they had discussed it a long time ago – how rare it was for a human and a ghoul to have children. And even then it wouldn't have an easy life.

"Half-human and half-ghoul….I wonder if Kaneki has a struggle with that…" she spoke aloud without realizing someone was behind her.

"Kaneki is an artificial one eyed ghoul Kimi," said Nishiki. She looked to him and smiled.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had come down. Good morning." He smiled.

"Yea, I just got down here and was just watching my beautiful girl make coffee for the morning," he said with a smile. She sighed again.

"What did you mean by an artificial one-eyed ghoul?" Nishiki sat down at the counter and thought for a moment.

"Kaneki is the result of a mad-doctor's experiment. He was in an accident with this ghoul whom he assumed was a human girl…she nearly killed him but ultimately he ended up with the Kagune sack inside his body. The organ damage was nothing like the doctor made it out to be…in the end….Kaneki became a one eyed ghoul through surgical means…until three years ago he was human," Nishiki explained.

"I see…I knew he was a one-eyed ghoul but…not that he had been experimented on…that must be hard." Kimi felt her heart ache for the boy. He'd changed so much she wondered how he kept the sanity he had.

"Yea…he's been through hell and high water…it was my fault for some of that though and considering the fact that he helped you despite that was remarkable…I know he'd do it still…especially since he has Touka," Nishiki stated as he watched Kimi pour a cup of coffee and put it in front of him.

"I was just thinking about that…because he's half-human what would that make their child?" Nishiki stared at her.

"Why? Is Touka…"Kimi shook her head.

"No, but I'm just wondering – my mind wandered off on its own and I guess I just started thinking about it…not just them though…us too…" the pale brunette hummed.

"There's a chance that you and me can have children, its small but it is possible. As for Kaneki and Touka…if they had a child it would most likely be a full blooded ghoul or a half-ghoul like Kaneki is but it would be a natural one-eyed ghoul instead of an artificial one. His genetics are half and half so it could swing either way," Nishiki said. She furrowed her brows at that.

"How could it go either way then?" Kimi listened to her boyfriend who hummed in thought.

"It could go both ways because the child could inherit a human DNA trace like with Kaneki's body being half human still…but…it is also possible that the child could be full blooded and not inherit a single bit of human DNA. It's like if one parent has brown eyes and the other has blue…whichever genetic trait is most dominate is what the child will have ninety-nine percent of the time," he explained this to Kimi who nodded.

"So what are the chances of the child being human?" she waited and Nishiki took a sip of his coffee and shook his head.

"Zero…if that were to happen it would be highly uncommon. Touka is a full-blooded ghoul and Kaneki is only half-human….the child wouldn't be human because the mother isn't half-human too. The chances are zero," he stated. She frowned.

"Okay…so…if they were to have a child it could be a full blooded ghoul or a one-eyed one like Kaneki…but…what are their chances of having children? Is it as slim as ours?" Nishiki frowned.

"Why are you so curious?" he questioned. She shrugged.

"I guess I just never really asked a lot about it and I got the idea in my head that the world we live in isn't a good place to raise a child and if we ended up having children it wouldn't be an easy life…" Nishiki nodded at that one.

"It's true, but take a good look at Hinami – her life wasn't easy either – and that was when our biggest fears were the CCG and cannibalistic ghouls from wards one through four and the eleventh ward. Even then it was hard for our kind to raise children," he informed her.

"I know, but those monsters, the vampires, werewolves, the Chimera…the chances of it surviving or myself or Touka being able to fight and survive would be small." He frowned.

"You're worried about Touka and Kaneki's futures aren't you?" she bit her lip.

"I am…I overheard them talking one night in Touka's room about having a family and some of Kaneki's concerns for her….he stated first of all that they were too young to raise a child and secondly neither of them could bear it if something happened to that child…he said that was why they couldn't run a risk of going too far…I didn't stick around to hear the rest because I was already red faced…but…." She paused.

"Well, at least he has a good head on his shoulders…it was smart of him not to do something stupid…I wish I had that kind of sense as a teenager his age…" Kimi laughed a little.

"Hmmh…you have a point…but it still upset me when I started to think about it more…if the world hadn't gone down like it did and the CCG hadn't killed the manager…what would have happened? Maybe I could have come to work here, Ayato, Hide…and Hinami…maybe Touka and Kaneki would have taken over the shop, Irimi and Koma could have stayed…we could have raised families here…our children could have grown up happy and surrounded by people they loved…" she again paused as her eyes burned.

"That's gone…Hinami said there's been more activity in Shibuya and Shinjuku recently…maybe there's civilization there…or there's CCG waiting for a stray ghoul to come lumbering by…" she gulped.

"Can we send someone to take a look?" she inquired. He hummed in thought.

"I guess we could…it'll be good to see what's going on…after we've stomped the vampires a bit more and got our point across." She nodded.

"I wonder what Kaneki's going to do about that…he said he was thinking of a plan but…what can we do against the vampire leading the ones in Tokyo if we can't form a cohesive plan?" she questioned. Nishiki smiled a bit.

"Kimi, don't worry – we're all working together – the manager would be proud of us, and he would have also taken care of this how Kaneki is doing it…thoughtfully. Just take a deep breath and leave it to the ghouls. We're going hunting tonight so we'll probably consider a plan when we're out and check up on how many vamps are roaming…plus the cool air helps us think it seems." She nodded.

"Okay, I'll trust you guys to figure it out…and I hope you'll know what to do," she said.

"We will, now, can I have another cup of coffee?" she smiled.

"Of course…"

For the time being it seemed as if things were going to depend upon what Kaneki and the other ghouls came up with during the hunt, but Kimi figured with how things have gone so far it was the right choice – by seeing what was happening with the vampires they could form a better strategy – and she also knew that Kaneki was intelligent enough to know how to do something that would apply to everyone's strengths. She smiled as the group slowly joined them and they enjoyed their peace and quiet because they all knew it was such a tentative thing.

 **{….}**

 _I've been broken, I'll rise again…_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's chapter 13. I wanted to pace it a little slower, the group just enjoying some peace for now because soon enough we'll be facing some struggles. The Kakuja was calm this time, but honestly, who thinks that's going to stick?

Well, I will continue to update, chapter 15 is also the release of the first chapter of Seraphim Blood 2: Ghouls & Angels. It will continue in a semi-aligned update set with Re-Ghoul until this story is completed. You guys know how this works from this story being done the same way with Immortal Reign.

No worries about Kaneki and Touka – I just had some questions come in so I figured I should answer those for the reader who PM'd me. What do you think will happen next?

Don't forget that there is a request contest going on if you can guess which two songs the lyrics were combined for to make the insert at the end of the chapters between the lines. The conditions are in Ch. 1 if you need to review them.

What did you guys think of the conversation between Hide and Ayato? What about Kimi and Nishiki. Any questions? Feel free to ask in a PM.

Well, here's your Preview:

Often, it was best to leave guesses as they were – as mere questions that weren't truthfully answers or incorrect assumptions – they were merely just a guess, but in their world those unanswered questions could cost them their lives. The five of them had sought to know what was creeping through the streets on a night where the moon had an unnatural red ring around it though it shone white. Now, they almost wished to step back in time and forget the events they had witnessed this evening.

"A war with the surviving humans, ghouls betraying their own kind, and vampires seeking to slaughter all who stand in their way…" there was a grim pause in the cool night air.

"Looks like it's time to show them what happens when you're bonded in bloodshed with your family."

Chapter 14: Bonds in Blood.


	14. Chapter 14: Bonds In Blood

Chapter 14: Bonds in Blood

 **{Downstairs of Anteiku: August 5** **th** **, 2018. 6:15pm}**

Hide and Kimi were watching the ghouls as they discussed the situation for the evening. Kaneki was going over the plans so they wouldn't be caught up in a fight if by some chance the vampires were prowling, Hinami stood near Ayato in a black pair of shorts, boots, a black long sleeve turtle-neck shirt and a mask similar to the ones that Hide and Kimi used hanging around her neck. They were preparing her for the first group hunt which would also be a form of culling on a number of the vampires, two each according to what they had planned, and that assisted in keeping them from needed to hunt for a bit.

"However, with just one tonight and another to bring back that also means we have the problem of rationing the meat we gather – we'll have to avoid eating every day – and that runs a risk," stated Nishiki. The group seemed a little unsure about that.

"None of us can carry more than that and make it back – that's after breaking it up and putting it away in backpacks in the storage house we found. Any more would weigh us down and decrease our speed." The group nodded in agreement.

"We'll just have to be careful. After tonight hunting in the evening hours would be deadly and the daylight wouldn't be any better," Kaneki stated as he looked at the others.

"So we get one tonight, and kill a second to take back to the storage house to break up? Then we package it best we can and bring it back here…seems simple enough." Touka looked at them.

"We're also going to be investigating what the vamps are up too. As soon as we get the information we're heading out back here and avoiding any confrontations okay? We don't need to fight we need to get what we have to and get out," she said with a sharp tone.

"We get it okay princess?" Touka sent Nishiki a chilling glare that made in cringe.

"Don't call me princess got it four eyes?" she snarled. Kaneki placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Just calm down, if you have to you need to save that aggression for the vampires." The girl frowned but nodded slowly.

"Fine…let's just go before it's too late…I don't want to be coming back and sunrise," she said stubbornly.

"Alright, we're off. Hide? Kimi? Watch each other's backs, if you hear anything go down to the cellar got it?" they nodded.

"We know the drill – just get going – we'll see you guys later," Hide stated with a wave.

"All of you take care and come back in one piece please." Kimi kissed Nishiki's cheek and ruffled Hinami's hair before giving the others a look with a smile as she placed a hand on Ayato's shoulder and then hugged Kaneki and Touka before ruffling their hair as well as she took her leave.

The group walked up the stairwell and to the rooftop where they began looking around the building of Anteiku for any movement. When nothing showed the group began searching, leaping from roof to roof in search of a cluster of vampires. Splitting up was normally how they went about things like group hunting, and then converged on one spot to where they were together. After that, the group would head back to Anteiku to get cleaned up and sleep before discussing anything of use in the morning – occasionally when they returned if it was urgent like tonight – this time, they were running a risk. Though it wasn't the first time they had left Hide and Kimi alone while hunting in a group, it was becoming more dangerous to do so. Hinami normally stayed behind with Nishiki, but because of the recent attacks the group required all five of the ghouls in order to make it through to October when they could once again resume hunting.

Touka glanced to Kaneki and then Ayato as Hinami stuck close to them as Nishiki was not far behind. They needed to be quick, quiet, and swift to strike. Their speed in a group of five wasn't diminished greatly, but it wasn't as quick if it was just two of them such as Touka and Ayato who were mainly speed. Kaneki looked to the left and paused on a roof causing the others to land not far from him as they watched him narrow his visible eye while Hinami sniffed the air for anything. The girl paused as did Kaneki before they glanced to one another as if they were thinking the same thing. The girl sniffed the air again and moments later they were moving towards the scent Hinami was tracing. Kaneki kept pace with her while the others moved along near them in a closed formation to prevent single strike attacks. They stopped again not far as the girl sniffed the air again and paused while furrowing her brows. Kaneki could tell something confused her but he saw it and he heard it – someone they knew – or at least they believed it was someone they knew. For all the two of them knew it could very well have been a corpse or a piece of the person they'd known, but the chance, that was worth seeing what was happening.

"Hinami? What are you smelling?" asked Touka. The girl paused.

"It smells like…Irimi…but…she died didn't she Kaneki?" Hinami looked towards Kaneki.

"I left her and Koma hidden away somewhere that the CCG wouldn't find them…but they were both wounded severely…Koma couldn't have survived and I doubt Irimi would have too…they were losing too much blood…" he tried to listen but he couldn't quite make out the sound.

"What are the two of you hearing exactly?" questioned Nishiki.

"Someone's….singing…Irimi had a really pretty voice….but its faint and I smell blood…" Kaneki closed his eyes and listened for the sound of a song and caught it faintly in the distance.

"I need to get closer," he said.

The others followed as he got closer to the sound and Hinami paused mid-way to the faint flicker of light as the singing erupted in to a scream that had the two of them clapping their hands over their ears. Sometimes they both hated a hyper aware sense – at times it could be quite literally a pain to deal with – Kaneki glanced to Hinami who nodded as the screaming stopped and the scent of blood wafted into their area. It was the blood of a ghoul, Kaneki could tell that apart from a humans or a vampires instantly. The others sniffed the area, feeling nauseated at the scent while he found it rather bland and Hinami felt the wave of nausea hit as well, but also smelt the paper-bland scent. The group paused to listen and wait as the sound of someone humming resounded but was broken and mixed with sobs.

"Who's down there? Hinami…can you tell me?" Kaneki looked to her and she nodded.

"It's…definitely Irimi…but she's hurt…" Hinami stated as she sniffed the area.

"Then we have to get her out of there!" the group wavered on the ledge of the building.

"Where is she?" Touka asked.

"In the parking garage down there near the fire. There's vampires down there too…" the group glanced to one another.

"How many?" questioned Ayato. She glanced to him while Kankei crouched down and leaned over a bit focusing his eyesight.

"Six? No…there are nine…the other ones are off to the side…they're trading places periodically. We need to get inside the parking garage…if we do that we can sneak in and taken them down from the shadows…but…one of them has a weapon that looks dangerous…Hinami? Can you check on that for me?" Kaneki looked at her and she nodded. In just a few quick sniffs she froze with a panicked whimper.

"It's a Quinque…a strong one…part of an Arata armor," she said. The others seemed slightly confused, however both Kaneki and Ayato nearly growled.

"That means the armor was comprised from a Kakuja Ghoul…hey Kaneki? How good are you at bringing that Kakuja out?" the other boy looked down.

"I can't do it at will yet…but I can borrow from it if I'm careful…I might be able to get some extra strength and speed from it for two minutes at most, and I don't think the after effect is worth the risk unless I have to…we can go in there and try to see what happens…Touka? Ayato? Do the two of you mind being our snipers?" they blinked.

"How can we do that?" questioned Touka as she looked at the boy.

"Stick to the rooftops, shoot from up here. One on this side and another on the other above the garage…if you do that…then you have shadows to duck under and you only have to use a burst of speed in frequent steps. Kill the ones we bite, it'll prevent them from turning to ash. Ayato I want you on this roof, Touka take the one above us. You two need to work together, Hinami will stick with me and Nishiki. So, out of the three going below…who wants to be the distraction?" the group looked to one another.

"Are you sure this plan will work?" Ayato glanced at Touka who nodded to him.

"It'll work, this is a pretty sound one if you consider it. I think what we need to do is the plan Kaneki came up with. Ayato and I will work from the roof tops, it'll be in our favor. Hinami and Nishiki can go with Kaneki and one of you can be a diversion to take attention away from the other two," Touka stated as she looked at the others.

"Fine by me…so…who's volunteering?" the five of them glanced to one another and then Hinami raised her hand.

"I'll do it. They won't recognize me if I go up and they won't suspect me as quickly as Nishiki or Kaneki – and that gives me an element of surprise when I go out," she stated.

"Personally…I don't like this…" Kaneki placed a hand on Touka's shoulder.

"Hinami is a good fighter and she's been getting better with training and the mock fights. Plus Nishiki and I will be right there in the sidelines. Nishiki can go to the building Ayato's on and I'll go to the next level of the one on the other side under you. We can reach her if we have to and attack from distances. Give her a chance Touka," he stated. She sighed.

"Fine, Hinami, do not take your mask off. That's there for a purpose." She nodded to Touka.

"I can handle it," she promised.

"Alright, so we know the plan Hinami go down from the alleyway, Nishiki your down two levels from Ayato who will be on this roof, Touka and I will go to the next building…I'm two levels down from her so we're even. Don't forget to bite them otherwise the hunting half of the night will be a loss. Plus if we're able to find Irimi then we need to kill off these vampires and use them because once we've taken them out and gotten her going out tomorrow will be out of the question." The group nodded.

"Okay, let's do this."

 **{Down in the garage: 8:45pm}**

She remembered, did she ever. The moment she laid there on the ground healing but wounded so greatly, how a red tendril and a flash of black and white had been her saving grace as Kaneki – shy, quiet, passive, _Kaneki Ken_ – took down three of the upper level CCG members as if they were nothing and got to her in time to bring her to safety. She had been so sharp with him when he'd walked into Anteiku last time, and here he was, trying to protect it with them, trying to help them. Irimi couldn't at the time fathom why he'd want to help when they'd looked down on him in disregard because of the rumors flying around the twentieth ward at the time. Monster, a sadistic, bloodthirsty, _cannibalistic,_ heartless ghoul with the sinister darkness of a demon and the psychotic side to him that made Irimi Kaya wonder who had been put in place of the smiling boy.

But just as she had thought so little of him he'd shocked her, helped her, and saved her and Koma. Then he'd vanished before she could apologize. Now, she couldn't be certain if Kaneki was alive, if Touka, Hinami, Nishiki, Kimi, the manager, and that blonde boy Hide and even Touka's brother Ayato were alive. If they were Irimi begged to whoever would be willing to listen to her that they weren't in the hands of these vicious beasts – vampires. She hoped they were somewhere far away from here, safe and living a peaceful life as Touka had wanted. She smiled sadly, they'd captured her a month ago when she'd gone searching for the others in a vain hope she'd find them. Part of Irimi wished that she had died that night when they were stripped of their pride as ghouls, as leaders of two ferocious gangs of wild flesh-eating monsters and left as wounded, heart broken, lost and afraid people. She felt a tear run down her bruised cheek – they were all shattered pieces of glass – and her memories were no longer wonderful reminders but brutal hauntings.

"I hope you all either are safe….or…died swiftly…no pain…" she glanced weakly towards the vampires sitting around the camp while she was chained up in the cold in Quinque steel. Her eyes narrowed in a tired manner – she was so tired, she wanted to sleep – and just as her eyes slid closed she heard a crackle of gravel and she was forced to look up at the figure standing at the rim of the firelight.

Black clad, light brown hair, a pixie cut to it and gentle brown eyes. A little taller than she once was, and a mask on the lower half of her face was Hinami. Irimi stared in shock, her appearance had grown a bit in the last two years, but she knew Hinami when she smelled her and seeing her was all the confirmation she needed. The girl teared up as the vampires watched her.

"Look at this girl, what is she doing here? Hey! Livestock! What are you doing here?" called one of the vampires. The girl teared up.

"My mom! I lost my mom! Can you help please?" the vampires tisked.

"Go back to where you belong livestock…if the whore who had you died its none of our concern." The vampire waved her off.

"But one of those monsters got her and took her away….one of the flesh eaters!" Irimi was confused by her statements. Ryoko had passed away well over three years ago, so why was Hinami asking for help to find her? Had the shock hurt her that badly? Her eyes softened.

" _Oh...Hinami…I'm sorry…"_

Irimi's thoughts were interrupted by a vampire getting up and coming towards her with a sword raised. Her heart stopped with a jerk as she realized Hinami wasn't moving. Her eyes grew wide and tearful despite the bruises on her face. Irimi tried to scream but her throat was to dry. Hinami looked up and her eyes changed the vampire alerted the others and a shadow came flying from the building above her. A spark of a red tendril shot from the darkness as Hinami released her Kagune and she jumped in time to pull her mask down and bite the vampire on the shoulder who yelped and shouted insults at the girl as she slashed him across the stomach spilling his intestines as a set of two shadows flew by her and got to the others one of the vampires flipped away and a blue tail wrapped around another's legs and brought him down, a black clad figure pounced on him and bit into the shoulder as well while the others went to stand, fighting and a crystal shard shot from the building she was under and caught the vampire in the head. He fell to the ground, but did not die as the group flipped to each one, leaving deep bites in them only for a crystal to come flying from nowhere and land a hit on them in a killing blow. The movements stopped as a black clad figure crouched on the ground near the other and unzipped the mask he wore, white hair ruffled a bit in the faint breeze as the mouth of the mask opened and he turned a fierce snarl on the vampire who had come to attack him.

"What….a…hindrance…" the last part was growled in an animalistic manner as red tendrils sprang up and slung the vampire to the ground before the person tore into their leg and twisted as they moved up and were thrown again before being speared by a red Rinkaku Kagune that she knew all too well.

"Kaneki….and…Nishiki….but…" she sat there in confusion.

The two from the roof landed showing her two blue haired figures – Touka and Ayato she realized – as the group of five ghouls converged and counted up the bodies they had taken all but one vampire down that now appeared with a Quinque Arata armor on. The white haired ghoul smiled through the opening in his mask in a manner that suited an inhuman monster as the others prepared their Kagune. Irimi watched as Ayato and Touka took the front with Nishiki who were quick to hit strikes on the vampire as they bit down and Hinami lashed at it's legs. The armor let them do little damage until Kaneki came flying in from nowhere she realized and latched onto the vampire who screamed as he tore into the armor with his teeth and began to break it down by devouring it. Hinami slid back as Touka struck it where the opening was made and Kaneki attacked again, biting through the armor and the flesh of the vampire who howled in pain as the group took to attacking the openings that Kaneki made as he seemed to consume the armor. Irimi stared as the vampire hit the ground and Kaneki stomped on his head, killing him.

"That was nasty…" Kaneki wiped his mouth doing his best to not want to stick his tongue out in disgust.

"I agree, it's disgusting…they taste worse than I remember," he said as he shook his head a bit.

"That bad?" Kaneki nodded as he looked around the area.

She knew that he and the others had spotted her then and she remained silent as they approached and Nishiki set to undoing her chains. Her eyes, once a vivid coffee brown now were dull, and her hair caked with blood and grime. Gentle hands reached for her wounded shoulders as she looked up shakily and stared into silvery-brown and an all too familiar black lipless grin mask. Her eyes glanced from him to the others and relief flooded her as Hinami came forward and gave her a bright smile.

"Hinami…Touka…N-Nishiki….Ayato…and...K-K-Kane…ki…you…all…lived." Her voice sounded so weak, brittle and dry it cracked when she spoke their names.

"Yea, we're going to take you back to Anteiku. And get you better. Nishiki? Can you carry her, we'll get the corpses up a floor and work on it from there. That way she can eat," Kaneki stated.

"Got it…"

Irimi was tugged up into gentle arms and soon she was carried up the area and towards a parking garage one floor away from the roof top. Irimi was laid down with a coat under her head and soon she heard the sound of bodies dragging, and bones breaking. Her eyes turned to Kaneki, Touka, Ayato, and Nishiki while Hinami stayed with her and held her hand, spoke softly to her, hummed to her until Kaneki came over with something for her. Hinami helped her sit up and she looked at the flesh offered – vampire flesh she noted – and took it before slowly but surely biting into it. Her jaw was sore, but the taste on her tongue, deprived of nutrition for over a month, was heavenly. She gave a thankful glance to the white haired ghoul and noted that he watched as she scarfed down the flesh he'd given before she tossed the bone aside, taking in a few breaths as she licked her lips. They tasted just as good as humans – better almost – and had a perfect sweet flavor instead of a bitter one like some humans could. Her eyes looked to Kaneki who had pulled his mask down and smiled.

"Good to see you survived Irimi," he said in a calm tone. She looked at him tiredly.

"Kaneki…how…" her throat didn't feel as abnormally dry as she expected.

"Don't worry, we have this sorted out. Once we're done breaking up what we need we'll get you back to Anteiku," his tone was gentle, his eyes were calm, tired and stressed as she laid back down and closed her eyes weakly.

 **{August 10** **th** **5:02pm, Anteiku}**

The rustle of warm fabric was her first indicator that she was not in the hands of the vampires any longer. Irimi's second indicator was the scents that hovered in the air. The floral scent of Hinami, the spice smell that Nishiki had, Touka's honey and lavender scent, Hide's scent that reminded her of the coffee shop in a lot of ways, Kimi's which had the smell of lilac, and then there was the strong and lingering scent of the cool night air – vibrant, icy, and rich in a silken manner – it mingled with the scent of books, paper, ink, the way they smelt. Her eyes weakly opened and she saw someone sitting in a corner reading through a book. Her eyes traced them over and she knew without her sense of smell that the strong scent of night air and books came from none other than Kaneki. She smiled as she noticed the look of exhaustion in his eyes. She moved and his eyes glanced towards her.

"Your awake Irimi…" her mind became fuzzy at the statement.

"Yea…I think I may go back to sleep now…my head kind of hurts," she said as she rubbed her forehead.

"Well, sleeping for five days does cause headaches." She blinked.

"Five days?" she questioned.

"Yea, but your safe in Anteiku with the rest of us." Irimi looked him over.

"God, it's been two years right? How did all of you survive?" Kaneki smiled a bit to her and she waited for her answer.

"We adapted to our surroundings, but we also learned a few key details about this world's new workings," he answered simply.

"How so? I mean you haven't been hunting the humans have you?" Irimi eyed him for an honest answer and she saw him shake his head with sincerity in his eyes.

"No, we learned that vampires are just as eatable as humans and serve an identical purpose – we are their natural predators," Kaneki explained as she watched him.

"Seriously? You guys have been eating vampires? Well, you guys are better at adapting than I am…I guess this dog is getting to old for new tricks." The boy chuckled.

"I'm glad you were alive Irimi….I was concerned about it when I left you and Koma in that hiding spot…."

Irimi stared at him. She could hardly believe he was the same person who had walked into the coffee shop after the eleventh ward incident – months later in fact – and had acted as if they weren't really there, but to be fair she and Koma hadn't been exactly hospitable to him. They had snarled and glared even as he talked to the manager. None of it seemed right now when she looked at him and he was calm, smiling in a small manner with a gentle energy around him. She was continuously wondering what to think of this person, but she did her best not to focus on it too much right then. The boy reached out and felt of her forehead before giving a relieved sigh.

"Your fever's dropped so I think you should be able to get up and move around some…" Irimi sat up and clutched her head before looking at the boy's hands which now held a bottle of water and a red pill.

"What is that?" she asked. He held out the pill.

"Advil Migraine medicine. It's to help the headache, and you need to drink some water." She took the bottle and the pill before she swallowed it and proceeded to down the bottle in quick gulps.

"Once your ready, come on down stairs – Hinami has been asking to see you," he said as he stood and she looked to him.

"Kaneki?" silvery-brown eyes, slightly apathetic once again, looked to her.

"Yes Irimi?" she smiled in a faint manner.

"Thank you…" he nodded.

"Of course, I'll see you soon."

Irimi smiled small and withdrawn. She hated to admit it but some part of her had been attached to the boy from the moment she'd met him on his first day as a member of the Anteiku staff. She remembered how kind he was, and the smile he had – Touka had been annoyed then and probably still was when it surfaced – but she had taken note of something about him even then. He wasn't a normal human to begin with. He was too observant, too willful and far too capable of so many things that could have been of a benevolent or wicked nature. Those details of the person she'd come to know scared her to some degree even now. Irimi smiled as she felt of the bandage on her neck with a sigh.

"Thank you…..for still just being there for them…Kaneki…" now, it was her turn to adapt.

 **{…..}**

 _I've been broken, I'll rise again_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Hey guys, here's chapter 14. Sorry it's taking a bit longer now that school has started back up. I would expect a chapter to be updated between Friday's & Sundays from now until I leave a note at the end of a chapter stating that I can write frequently again.

I hope you all liked it. I know the sneak peek didn't get in there, but it will in the next chapter. The fact that Irimi came back just took over. Sometimes those previews at the end of the chapters aren't for the next chapter but a glimpse at future ones.

Well, speaking of Previews:

Irimi had to wonder sometimes why it was that she had tried so hard to understand the white haired boy – it had been rather shocking to see how so many of the dynamics had changed – but Kaneki hadn't become someone so cold none could even hope to touch him. He wasn't a foreign, absentia monster anymore. Something had changed him just enough to where he was still strong like he had become but he wasn't as cold, he wasn't that heartless figure she remembered.

"You've always stumped me to some extent even when you were new at Anteiku." A small smile.

"Have I? How is it that I've stumped the leader of the Dobers?"

Chapter 15: Two Hearts


	15. Chapter 15: Two Hearts

Chapter 15: Two Hearts

 **{Anteiku: August 25** **th** **2018, 6:00am}**

Irimi Kaya frowned as she looked at the area around her in the downstairs of Anteiku. Nothing had hardly changed. It was quiet, still, and dim except for a single lantern on the bar. She sighed as she rubbed her arms and looked towards the stairwell. Kaneki and the others had been calm, and most of all _happy_ when she'd come to see them downstairs just a few days ago. Now it seemed as if she was back to her regular questioning game. Irimi had to wonder sometimes why it was that she had tried so hard to understand the white haired boy – it had been rather shocking to see how so many of the dynamics had changed – but Kaneki hadn't become someone so cold none could even hope to touch him. He wasn't a foreign, absentia monster anymore. Something had changed him just enough to where he was still strong like he had become but he wasn't as cold, he wasn't that heartless figure she remembered.

" _Maybe I should go ask if I can speak with him for a bit?"_

With a small sigh she walked up the stairs and began searching for the boy. Gently opening the doors of each of the upstairs rooms in search of him. She first thought that he would be rooming with Hide, but the blonde was sound asleep and in the room alone, Ayato was as well, Hinami was in her room alone, Nishiki and Kimi shared a room therefore she knew he wouldn't be in there, nor was he in the lounge. She glanced to Touka's room and frowned – surely Touka wouldn't let him in there would she? – taking a deep breath she walked forward and slowly opened the door before looking into the room to not wake up whomever was actually inside the room. Brown eyes looked over the area before her eyes landed on the bed and she blinked thinking she was imagining things as she stepped quietly into the room. Touka was asleep, her body curled next to the boy she was searching for – said boy had his arms wrapped around the girl – and his face tucked into her hair as Touka's was resting against his chest. She blinked.

" _Damn….when did that one happen?"_

She must have made a sound she realized because a tired silvery-brown eye opened to look at her before the white haired boy leaned up and she looked at the boy with a bit of anxiety. What was she supposed to say or do now? She was highly confused at this point. Kaneki moved away from Touka and pulled a blanket over the girl before looking at her again as she stepped away and Kaneki shut the door quietly. Irimi watched the boy as he moved a bit away from the hall and into the lounge where he sat on one of the sofas and she took her seat on another one before locking eyes with the boy.

"So when…..did you and Touka…." Kaneki smiled a bit.

"Not long after the virus broke out…we ended up admitting we felt something for one another….interesting how such horrible events can bring people together," he stated calmly.

"Yea…but…how…" the boy smiled.

"Your….rather talkative today….is something bothering you Irimi?" she smiled.

"You've always stumped me to some extent even when you were new at Anteiku." A small smile.

"Have I? How is it that I've stumped the leader of the Dobers?" Irimi eyed him.

"Well….remember that first day you were here as an employee?" the boy thought for a moment.

"Oh…I remember that…"

 **{September 14** **th** **2012: Anteiku}**

 _The staff of Anteiku were waiting for the manager to discuss the jobs they would have today, and naturally they assumed he would introduce to them the black haired boy standing not far behind him. Irimi and Koma shared a look – he smelled strange to them – not quite human but not ghoul either. The manager smiled kindly, as he always did, and Touka huffed while the man gave the others a once over._

" _Well, it's good to see everyone's ready for another day at work – however, I have someone new here to introduce you too." Touka leaned against the counter as the other two – plus Yomo they noted – were watching._

" _The pipsqueak behind you?" asked Irimi._

" _Well, I wouldn't call him that – but yes, this our newest employee, Kaneki Ken – Irimi, Koma? I want the two of you to help him get used to the job." The manager pushed Kaneki forward and Koma eyed him as Irimi frowned._

" _Alright, come on kid let's get you started," said the man. The manager left and Touka sighed as she went to the back to start bringing out their cups and saucers._

" _Um…okay…"_

 _Koma and Irimi watched the boy as they directed him on what to do. He was fair at making coffee – it wasn't as smooth as their own, but they recalled that from when they had started too – while his coordination was a little different. He wasn't clumsy, in fact he was rather well balanced, but he was shy and quiet and had a hard time speaking up when a customer said something in a nonchalant way. It was later that day that the boy was helping with cleanup and Koma frowned as Irimi set to wiping down the tables with the boy. They were a bit uncomfortable with the boy. When he looked at them directly in the eye they had a feeling of discomfort crawl across their skin – almost as if he was seeing something in them that no one else could – and his composure, personality, and his kindness were confusing. For a ghoul he was far to gentle and Koma knew that – so did Irimi – both of them had run gangs in the past and now were still capable of summoning that brutality, but the kid? He didn't seem to have a cruel bone in his body._

" _Okay, what's up with this kid Irimi?" Koma whispered as she went to wipe down the counter as Kaneki continued cleaning up dishes._

" _I have no idea….he seems pretty weak…but…" there was a shuffle._

" _Excuse me?" the two jumped a bit._

" _ **How in the hell did he sneak up on us like that?"**_

" _Yea? What is it kid?" Koma looked at the boy and locked eyes with the single pool of silvery-brown._

" _Where do I need to go with the dishes?" Irimi sighed and smiled._

" _Go into the back and put them in the sink – just wash them up and we'll finish out here," she stated._

" _Alright…" the boy walked away and the two eyed one another._

" _He's not normal…I don't think I've seen a ghoul like that…he's so meek," said Koma._

" _That would be because Kaneki isn't like us at all…" the two turned to face Yoshimura who smiled._

" _Isn't….what is he then?" questioned Irimi._

" _He became a ghoul from someone experimenting on his body when he was nearly crushed by a set of beams – the accident three months ago in which Rize died – he became one of us…"_

 _The two of them froze in shock and felt a bit of grief take them over. The innocent, sweet eyed boy that they'd been helping today had gone through hell in such a short time – Irimi felt her stomach twist in knots as she looked back into the kitchen before casting her eyes down._

" _So he's…a half-breed huh? That can't be easy…especially if he was human to begin with…" Koma gave her a long look._

" _Kaneki was a human being firstly, secondly he was supposedly a normal person…but…I'm confused…how is he so aware of things if he's some kid?" Irimi frowned._

" _I was wondering that myself," she stated. The manager smiled._

" _Oh, that's typical of him from what his friend Nagechika said. Kaneki is an introvert but he is also remarkably aware of things. He may not be as sharp in some of his senses as we are but he is no less strong and perceptive in other means. He needs training and practice to be able to survive if the Doves rear their heads in the twentieth ward. I hope all of us here can help him in some way." The others stared as the man turned away and the two at the counter looked at one another._

" _This is going to be a long year isn't it Irimi?" questioned Koma._

" _I think so…but we can handle it right?" he shrugged._

" _The kid is sharp – we can handle it…"_

 **{…..}**

"You've stumped me from day one – because you were so different from others I'd known – and so innocent. That was the one thing I never quite could get about you…and even now you're still very different…maybe that's why Touka likes you so much," she stated as the boy glanced away from her.

"We didn't get together easily…we were to rough…" the woman went red.

"The two of you didn't…" the boy blinked at her.

"Oh…no its nothing like that – Touka got mad at me when she kissed me that first time and bit me – so I bit her back and we got a little out of hand…nothing serious but you know…it's not exactly easy to piece it all together when I think about it now…but…its fine…she's a good person and I have her to thank for being able to keep myself together…" the boy flinched and she frowned.

"Are you hurt?" she questioned and he shook his head.

"No, nothing like that…I have a reason for being in a little pain but it's nothing I can't handle…" Irimi frowned.

"Tell me what's wrong…it's not going to really matter is it?" Irimi inquired him and he looked down.

"I suppose not…you heard rumors about a cannibalizing ghoul right?" the woman felt her eyes grow wide before softening. Kaneki gave her a glance as if to gage what she was going to do and she sighed a bit.

"Some part of me knew that it was the truth and not just a rumor. In some ways I understand because you were a human once – maybe you would prefer to eat ghouls than humans….either way your cannibalizing your own kind because your half and half…I understand the choice," she stated. Kaneki looked down.

"I didn't do it out of preference…I did it because I wanted too…I wanted the RC Cells to become stronger…and….in a lot of ways I got my wish….but I'm still paying the price for it…" the female Ukaku Ghoul stared before blinking in slight confusion.

"I guess that would be reasonable too but…" the boy shook his head.

"I developed a Kakuja Irimi…"

The brown eyed woman stared at him. Her mind was partly confused as to what had happened at that point. Eyes wide as they were had only grown fearful of the boy sitting across from her only because she had never expected Kaneki of all people to become like that. Her mind grew confused and then concerned as she realized that Kaneki hadn't been lying and was indeed being truthful. Irimi took a deep breath and looked at him again as she tried to fathom what to do. Kaneki looked beaten down by it and guilty and nearly full of self-loathing. However, she merely shook her head at him.

"So you cannibalized other ghouls for that reason? Why? I know it has to be painful….I've seen a Kakuja before but I didn't think you of all people…." The boy took a deep breath.

"I'm a monster Irimi…and I can't change that fact…" Irimi frowned.

"You, Kaneki, are no monster – your never have been," she stated as he glanced at her through white bangs.

"How are you sure I'm not? Irimi…I've done things that aren't right….regardless of whether or not I'm a human or a ghoul the things I've done can't….they can't be forgiven. I chose to become some kind of _beast….._ nothing anyone does can change that fact." The brunette sighed.

"I'll be the first to admit that you're definitely not the same person, your capable of cruelty, of murder, and your capable of causing a great deal of suffering – but that's not different from any other person in the world – whether you are a human, a ghoul, a vampire, or a fallen angel or demon…you are still capable of many things…both good and evil," she said. Kaneki smiled just a fraction.

"The world isn't merely black and white…there are tones of gray…right?"

The sound of his voice seemed nothing short of worried that he was going to lose what little thread of his sanity was still there – what was still holding him together – and it was just a simple set of words that the world wasn't just the way someone viewed it in a bias _opinion._ Because it wasn't, the world consisted of multiple viewpoints, of thousands of ideals, choices, makings, ends, and wills. And this boy, was no different than the others. She smiled a bit and moved over to him before placing a hand against his cheek. Silvery-brown eyes locked with her.

"Your right, the world is seen how we chose to see it – you aren't any one but yourself – don't forget that bookworm," she stated with a smile. The boy gave her a small one in return.

"Thank you Irimi." The woman ruffled his hair.

"Now, I think the others would like some coffee – how about we make some and then…well…I say we should get that going so we can do the morning meeting to see what we need." The boy nodded.

 **{August 25** **th** **2018 – 10:00am}**

"So let me get this straight, when we sent Touka and Ayato out for a check-up of the surrounding area they found what?" asked Nishiki as he looked at them.

"They saw humans – in a uniform – on the boarders of the city." The group began to look uncomfortable.

"They're not CCG are they?" questioned Irimi as she looked at the two siblings.

"No, they don't look it…they're…in black uniforms with bright green trim on them and they have weapons that look nothing like a Quinque. I think what we're facing is a new type of faction." Ayato frowned as the others thought of this.

"Do we know anything about them? Did either of you hear something that could help us?" Kaneki inquired as the two thought.

"No, we weren't close enough, but…surely they don't know where here right?" the white haired ghoul frowned as Hide and Kimi looked him over.

"Kaneki? What are you thinking?" Hide asked.

"I don't want to chance things – if they happen upon us then whatever type of safety we had here is gone – we need to find out about them…the only thing I can think of doing is going and investigating what they're up too…just to make sure we're not dealing with something that could put us in the line of fire more so than we already are." The others nodded.

"We'll go back out and…" Ayato was stopped by the other.

"I'll be going this time. We need a few of us – Hinami might be a good fighter but she can't handle this….Hide, Kimi, I want the two of you to stay behind with Hinami…I think this is something that just five of us should be on this time. Irimi? Care to come with us?" he questioned. The woman smiled.

"I'd love to…but are you certain this is a good idea for us to leave Hide, Kimi, and Hinami alone?" Kaneki nodded.

"They can take care of themselves while we're gone. We need to do this otherwise we're leaving a potential threat out where we can't prepare for an attack. We need to go into Shibuya and Shinjuku to search around," he said. Touka looked at the others.

"Then we need all of us don't we? Or are you concerned that'll be too many?" she would leave the option for him to decide – as much as he denied it he was the unspoken leader of the group – and he needed to have the final say. Kaneki frowned.

"That's one of my concerns – there's eight of us – if we all go we might be tempting the fates too much. Therefore…I think we'll fair better if there are five of us instead," he said.

"A smaller group means it's easier to hide ourselves if we must…that's understandable…but we're uneven. Five instead of a number like six where we can split up into teams of two and go different ways. Hinami may be inexperienced still, but we might fare better with her there." Irimi's suggestion weighed on them while Kaneki thought about the idea.

"Alright…I see your point. Hide? Kimi? Can the two of you manage?" he questioned the two and they smiled.

"No problem – hide in the cellar for a bit and just stay out of shot of the windows right? We got this!" Hide's enthusiastic response was an ease on him as he nodded and looked to Hinami.

"Okay then. Hinami, get yourself ready – we'll travel around at night so we need to be able to leave at sunset. Irimi? I'm putting Hinami in your care okay?" Kaneki stood and Irimi nodded.

"No problem, I'd be happy to have her as my partner." He looked to Nishiki.

"Can you and Ayato not kill each other?" to that the two stared.

"You're putting us together?" Touka shot them a glare.

"I think the two of you will work well together. Besides, Kaneki and I know each other's movements well enough to work together. We're going on a search in two different cities that boarder into Tokyo so what does that mean to you? At least four days away from Anteiku," she stated.

"So? Four days away from Anteiku, two different cities….what's the big deal?" Kaneki looked them over.

"Because its four days away from Anteiku, where two humans are, with vampires roaming around, because its two different cities, and because it's to investigate something we don't know about. We have to be prepared for any challenges and be ready for a fight to just get out if we get caught. Irimi's plan is to split us up into two person units in three ways – myself and Touka will work together, Nishiki and Ayato will work together and Irimi and Hinami will be teaming up. Are we clear?" the group looked at him.

"Fine…we leave at sunset right?" inquired Nishiki.

"Right, so get ready for what we'll need. Hopefully we can find a few vampires on the road to use."

"Alright…"

None of them were specifically thrilled about this – they were running a high risk by investigating the movement in both Shibuya and Shinjuku – however, if there were CCG or even more ghouls and humans in those areas then they needed to know for certain. If they were to be considered a threat, then they would be avoiding the area for as long as possible. Their activity would remain scarce and they would remain within Tokyo. Touka glanced at Kaneki as she tugged on a pair of boots and sighed. Once more the two of them were dressed in all black, looking as if they were prepared for a full scale war and feeling the same anxiety. Honestly, she had never thought this world would become as it was – none of them had – and during her lifetime she had expected to do many things but this? None of this had ever crossed her thoughts once.

Her eyes trailed over to the boy who was holding his mask in his hands before he put it on and left it to pool around his throat while he glanced at the street from the window. Sometimes she questioned why so much had to change – it had been nearly four years and she was still questioning it – but she had hopes, she still had dreams and wanted to accomplish things. But, this at the time was her life, these people were her family and she couldn't help but be anxious.

"Kaneki?" the boy glanced her way and she sighed.

"Something wrong?" he asked. Touka bit her lip.

"What if these people are worse than the CCG? What if they already know about Ghouls and are coming for us?" silvery-brown eyes looked her over and he sighed.

"If that happens we'll find somewhere else to hide – I don't like the idea of leaving Anteiku – but if we have to then we need to be prepared for that…" he answered in a half-hearted tone.

"I know….but…Kaneki…." an arm wrapped around her and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Let's just wait and see what these people are – we'll go from there," he stated as he held her close.

Touka wasn't weak – he didn't ever need reminding of that – and the fact that she was pulling so close to him at this moment told him that she was indeed anxious. He comforted her to the best of his abilities as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kept her head pressed against his shoulder. They were once again facing an unknown enemy and to some extent they weren't sure they could handle them. Touka glanced up at him and he looked her over before she leaned up to kiss him and he returned it. Two years had put him a few inches taller than her and stronger while Touka had begun maturing as had the others in their group. Hinami was the best example as she had gotten taller, her hair had grown out a bit, and she was becoming a beautiful young woman at thirteen and would soon be able to hold her ground alongside the rest of them. Kaneki glanced at the girl in his arms as she leaned back down and sighed a bit as she glanced at him and a knock came from the door to alert them.

Hide peeked in with Irimi next to him and they smiled while the two of them grabbed what they'd need and began to walk out with them to the lower area of the café where they would be heading out for their search of Shibuya and Shinjuku. Once they reached the area where the others were the group was given a short briefing while they informed them that their first stop would be Shinjuku which was closet by foot –from Shinjuku they would head to Shibuya the following morning and scout it for a day or so then return to Tokyo to inform Hide and Kimi of what they'd learned and discuss a plan of action. But, by no means, did they expect to get out of one of the cities without injuries. That was a fictional ending at best and they knew that. Even if the six of them had come with arms up in surrender none of they believed that the humans would be willing to sit down and talk peacefully with them.

With that in mind the six of them left and began their journey towards Shinjuku. Kaneki and Touka had gone to the extent of informing Irimi how they formed in when they left Anteiku so that it left little room for them to be attacked and she was surprisingly pleased with their tactics. Knowing what they were doing made it easier for her to keep up with them and also keep Hinami in her sights. Each of them were responsible for their partner; each of them had to keep their teammate safe in a means of making sure neither of them were weakened, and would remain capable of fighting. If one was injured to the point that they could no longer fight, then they would be in charge of removing themselves and their partner from the field and hiding. Kaneki and Ayato had come up with the tactic of fighting and teaming up in the way they were so that it made it easier for none of them to be left behind. Irimi thought of this idea as they jumped from roof to roof and got closer to Shinjuku.

She was considering the options she had with Hinami – the girl was a chimera type – and while she and the girl shared a similar Kagune she knew also that she was trained in fighting styles with Kaneki and Touka. Both of them were close quarters combatants, and Kaneki was a combative tactician therefore Hinami would have learned a few different points. In fact she had noticed that the girl during the view practices they'd had since she'd come to live with them were focused on defensive and offensive attacks and postures. Hinami would be well rounded in a style, but lacking in the experience necessary to actually become a well-rounded fighter. Irimi glanced at Kaneki and Touka with little trouble in confirmation as she knew that they were capable fighters. There was however, a slight dilemma she faced when it came to the facts about their fighting style as well as Nishiki and Ayato – she merely had never worked with any of them before, and despite what most would believe that did make quite the difference.

" _If I don't know how they move or their base tactics then I'm not much help – however, if I were to just watch Hinami I can pick up on a few traits from both Kaneki and Touka – and at best I know how Touka moves but I've only seen Kaneki take down a vampire and a few CCG members in the past…it was harder to actually see how he moved back then too but now it's important for me to know…damn it all…"_

"Kaneki? What are we looking for exactly?" asked Nishiki as they paused on a roof just shy of the boarder of Shinjuku.

"Well, I figured trying to find out what these people were up to would be best. We're just tailing them and looking into what they're going to do…" the others seemed satisfied with the answer.

"So we're eaves dropping? That's it?" asked Ayato with a frown. Kaneki rolled his visible eye.

"We're eaves dropping for now – if we see a reason we'll attack – just take a few out and try to get some answers…atop that…if they have a means of communication on them then we need to take what we can and use it. I don't want to sound cruel about it but right now they're a potential threat so diminishing their resources would be a good start. We'll check Shinjuku and rest before we head into Shibuya – let them think it was a ragtag group of stray people from the surrounding areas or something before moving in again." Irimi eyed him before smirking a bit.

"That's actually not a bad plan bookworm…its simple yea but…it's also effective to where we're not putting ourselves into much danger…and the humans won't see us as easily as if we were to cause trouble instead of just trying to see how they're running things and what they're mission is exactly," she said. Kaneki nodded as he looked at the area near them where lights were dim but still very much on.

"Looks like they're burning the midnight oil." He narrowed his eyes as did Hinami as she looked closer.

"And most of them are still awake – there are a few that aren't…two boys and a few others….there's…Kaneki? Can you look over here? I can't make out what's going on in there…" the white haired ghoul leaned a bit over the side as he narrowed his visible eye and looked into the window.

A man was sitting at his desk reading papers while a woman with brown hair in a side braid talked to him. The man had black hair and brown eyes with a faint purple tint to them. He was in his twenties at the least, and wore a black and red uniform decorated as a Lieutenant Colonel, and the woman seemed to be his subordinate. Kaneki narrowed his eye to try and get a better look at the other two in the room on the two sofas. The woman sighed as she dragged a blanket over to the one nearest to the window. The person there was a boy soundly sleeping – roughly around fourteen or so – with messy black hair and very lightly tan skin. The other in the room still awake was a blonde with blue eyes reading a book, but looking decidedly tired. The woman said something to the blonde boy and he shrugged as she laid a blanket over the other and smiled as she walked by and ruffled the blonde's hair who rolled his eyes as the man at the desk said something and the woman sent him a glare.

"There's four people in there – a man and a woman who seem to be part of the military group – and two teenagers a little older than Hinami. They don't seemed to really be too concerned with where they are…it's pretty peaceful near here but I don't think they live here," Kaneki stated as he leaned back from the edge. Irimi eyed him.

"Your eyesight is that good? Didn't Hide mention that you used to have to wear glasses?" the boy gave her a long look and Irimi frowned.

"My eyesight got better after I had that surgery….don't ask me why….but the healing rate fixed the genetic disorder I had from my mom…she was half-blind when I was ten so…" he looked to Nishiki who had a slightly amused expression on his face.

"I find it comical that someone as brutal as you had to wear glasses and was a spineless wimp when I met you," he stated with a smirk. Kaneki rolled his eyes.

"Shut up before I show you how spineless I can make someone Nishiki…" the caramel brunette flinched back as Hinami looked to Kaneki who was watching the area below them.

"So, what's the next step?" asked Ayato as Touka cast Nishiki a withering glare. She did not want to see the homicidal side of her boyfriend tonight – they had enough dangerous things to deal with as it was and she did not want to add the name Kaneki Ken to the top of that list.

"I think we should split up and cover the areas that are still active and have patrol guards – if you can find a means of getting communication devices then you get them – do not _attack anyone_ unless you are attacked first and do not _kill anyone either_ unless they won't see to reason and make an attempt on you or your partner's lives. We need to get out of here without raising alarms," Kaneki said as he looked at the others as they stood with their partners.

"Okay, should we meet up here?" Kaneki glanced to Touka who shook her head.

"See that old tower there?" the group looked to where she pointed to the old cellular tower near the gates of the city.

"Yea, you want us to meet there on the ground?" asked Ayato. She nodded.

"It'll be easiest. Don't attack those monsters either – if they have one come then all the others come and then we'll never get out of here without being spotted." The group nodded.

"Alright, everyone ready?" the two others groups nodded and looked to the North and South.

"Let's go and meet up by dawn."

"Good, see you at dawn," said Irimi as she and Hinami took off for the Northern area of Shinjuku.

"Ready four-eyes?" Nishiki looked at Ayato.

"Shut up pretty-boy," he stated. Touka shot them a demonic glare.

"Either get along or I will let Kaneki make the two of you _wish you had never seen the light of day this morning_! Am I clear?" the two boys glanced between her and Kaneki, and then between themselves before nodding.

"See you two at dawn!" with that they went for the Southern area and the two remaining Ghouls eyed one another.

"We're not getting out of here without a few close calls are we?" Touka shook her head at Kaneki's question.

"Did you expect anything less?" she questioned. The white haired Ghoul shook his head.

"No, but I was hoping for the best – well…I guess I should have seen it coming huh?" he gave her a glance over.

"Duh idiot Kaneki!" she nudged him in the arm and he sighed.

"Well, shall we?" Touka looked at him once more and nodded.

"Alright, but when we get back….I…" Kaneki glanced at her.

"What's wrong?" Touka sighed.

"I want to…." the white haired Ghoul moved closer to her and unzipped the mouth of his mask before leaning over to kiss her forehead. Touka blinked and glanced up at him.

"Let's get through this first and get back to Anteiku – then you can tell me whatever you wish to say Touka-Chan…" the blue haired Ghoul blinked before sighing again in a bit of contentment.

"Okay, promise?" he smiled.

"Of course…have I ever let you down before Touka?" with that she looked forward as he zipped up the mask again and his eye changed before giving her a quick look to which she nodded as her own eyes changed as they leapt off the top of the building.

" _No you haven't….but….you've also given me to many close calls…don't do it this time okay Kaneki?"_

 **{…}**

 _Don't give up, I've come this far…_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: I am so, so, so, sorry guys! I've been bombarded with school work and my family had a death in the middle of August and then I've been playing catch up with schooling because I started a week late. This has been sitting in my computer for over a month missing two whole pages and I just now got to sit down and finish it.

Seraphim Blood 2: Ghouls & Angels should be up soon and it will be a weekly/bi-weekly update. It will depend on what kind of school work I have and how much I get done.

Also, upon request of a friend – one of the ones who helped inspire this story series – I have been asked to write a _Rise of the Guardians_ re-write story focusing more on Jack Frost's darker side on a what if basis. If you would like to read it look for it on the story list in my archive. I hope you guys will check it out seeing as I've never done that before.

Nonetheless! I shall endeavor to write these stories, keep up, and let you know when a story is going to fall behind for a bit. Like for instance – Mid-Term exams are in TWO WEEKS! And then, thank God, we have FIVE DAYS OF FALL BREAK! And about two weeks of school followed by THANKS GIVING BREAK. Two more weeks, final exams and then CHRISTMAS BREAK!

I will let you guys know when exams are coming up so if you don't receive an update you know I didn't drop off the face of the earth.

Now, question:

Who was it that Kaneki saw in the window?

Do you guys know? If you do PM me so I can let you request something in the next chapters. Oh and one more question:

What was Touka trying to ask Kaneki?

For requests please PM me so I can see what it is you wanted exactly and I will do my best to put it in. Here are the guidelines:

NO: Yaoi, Yuri, or the like. Sorry guys.

YES: horror, action, romance, trauma, sneak peak, comedy, evolve of powers/abilities *within reason*, and anything along those lines.

Love you guys, here's your preview:

The streets were barren, they were quiet, but not entirely so – no all of the humans within Shinjuku knew something was off – never, was it this still. As if something had spooked off the vampires and Four Horseman of John that had normally come wandering towards the defensive wall. Something was afoot, and it was far more dangerous than they were capable of handling. Even with a General there, many were in a great state of discomfort. One, in particular was unsure of what he was feeling as he stood outside for a moment to enjoy the surprisingly cool late summer air and smoke. There was something about to happen and it was going to be very interesting.

"So, what the hell are you?" red tendrils sharpened into a point.

"Wouldn't you like to know…"

Chapter 16: Interaction


	16. Chapter 16: Interaction

Chapter 16: Interaction

 **{Shinjuku, Japanese Imperial Demon Army safe zone: 10:45pm}**

A puff of smoke came out as a man in a red and black uniform blew out what he'd already inhaled from his cigarette. It was a quiet night and the man was happily enjoying it. This week had been surprisingly stressful despite his efforts to keep it from being so. This man, was Lieutenant Colonel, Guren Ichinose of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, and leader of the illustrious Moon Demon Company. He had been asked to see over a few details within Shinjuku and had come with his assistant Sayuri Hanayori, and his two adopted children in hopes of not only letting them see how the main militaristic city in their grasp worked, but to keep an eye on them. He sighed as he heard a scuffle of shoes and turned to the brown haired, brown eyed woman next to him. Sayuri had come not only as his assistant, but to also help keep his two children in close quarters. He wasn't especially keen on leaving them be for various reasons, and that mainly had to do with the head family that resided in Shibuya's outer district. Guren continued puffing his cigarette while Sayuri smiled as she looked up at the full moon that was present and clearly showing across a blanket of stars.

"It's a pretty night isn't it Guren?" she asked. Guren blew out a cloud of smoke and steam from the cold air and hummed.

"Yea, I'm surprised that brat is asleep…" Sayuri blinked.

"Um, which one? They're both asleep now," she questioned him and he glanced to her.

"Yuuichiro never sleeps on full moons. I don't know what it is but it makes him act odd. And what's worse, he tends to be dangerous too….his temper flairs a lot….he must have exhausted himself…" the woman smiled.

"Sounds right, Yuu and Mika both were very busy today trying to take in all that information they were given. And, don't forget Guren, they both were still reading the things they were given at dinner and just before Yuu fell asleep," she said him. Guren rolled his eyes.

"How can they read that much? I didn't have that kind of attention span in school."

"Well, apparently that Noble decided to teach them because he liked Mika's blood. If you think about it, Mika and Yuu had a pretty good bartering system set up between them and that Noble. Yuu told me that got food and medicine, cleaning supplies, blankets, pillows, and even a small heater for downstairs in their little home. That was fairly wise of them," she stated. Guren again glanced to the side.

"I suppose so…how they got that Noble to bend to their wants was a miracle all on its own…" she laughed.

"I know! But you can understand where that would work – Mika and Yuu have a natural talent for bending others to their will – and atop that Yuu is very persuasive verbally." The dark haired man sighed a bit at that.

"Yea, believe me, I know _exactly_ how persuasive that green eyed brat can be. If you haven't forgotten Sayuri, I live with them right now, but I swear…as soon as their fifteen I'm making sure they have a spot on their own…" he said in a grumble.

"That bad huh?" he groaned.

"Yuu still throws punches if you grab him in his sleep and Mika can be downright _sinister_ when he wakes up in the mornings…and if you choose to get Yuu up all of the sudden and you by some fortunate happening _miss being hit,_ he acts like he's possessed until around lunch time. I've had seasoned veterans flinch away from them both if they cross them in the morning," he told her, and Sayuri winced at that.

"Guren, are they coming along well? Will they be able to…" Guren placed a hand on her head.

"Those two? Hell yea, they're strong and brave not to mention powerful…if anyone can manage this kind of crash course training it'll be our two Vampire Reign survivors," he said calmly.

"I'm…happy to hear that….especially with what happened two years ago…" Guren narrowed his eyes at that in thought.

"I know…of all the things I suspected would happen it was never what did. I don't know why but….seeing that just made me….angry….not at Yuu because I know he couldn't help it but…at the vampires, at the world, at the _monsters_ who did that to him and the others that survived if they did…and Mika…he was treated the same way. Their _children_ Sayuri and their own families just let those people treat them like lab rats…." Guren snarled.

He had never been as furious as this until the day he saw what had been done to Yuu and Mika. The younger of the boys had exhibited rare talents, and even more so they had inherited something from their bloodline that made them strong and ever so slightly dangerous. And yet, that did nothing to quell his rage at what he had known to be fact right before his eyes. The sight alone made him cringe in horror, and the realization that it wasn't necessary was all the more revolting. How could someone do these things to innocent children? More than likely before they were ever born? Did they deserve that fate? No, and Guren never blamed any of those children living or dead, and he most certainly didn't blame Yuu or Mika for this. Because of those emotions though, Guren had put himself and his team in a position with targets on their backs.

If the noble family in charge ever learned about the two boys they would experiment on them as well. Therefore, Guren had adopted the two, given them a specialized immunity from the Noble family, and kept their secrets under lock and key only to be faced with the severity of their situation face to face. He sighed as Sayuri smiled and grabbed his hand as he dropped it back from the top of her head and back to his side. He felt some relief in that while he tried to figure out what to exactly do with their current situation. It was in that moment that he noticed something on the roofs before them.

"Sayuri? Do you see that?" the girl glanced up and froze.

"Are those…people?" Guren narrowed his eyes to try and focus in the dark and realized that they moved a bit too quickly for humans.

"I don't think so. Get your weapon and put up a ward around Yuu and Mika – I don't want them involved with vampires right now," he said in wariness as the woman nodded and the man sighed as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.

Above them on a roof two figures were viewing the area in questioning of what was happening below them when they heard a click of metal upon metal and glanced down to a man below that had a black and crimson sword drawn. He took in a deep breath and held the sword out. With a swing the appearance of black hair flew around them and they jumped to avoid the strike. All of ten seconds later the two landed on the ground and stayed crouched side by side in preparation to fight. Guren sighed as he eyed them in the shadows, and realized quickly that they weren't vampires, but they weren't normal humans either. A deep growl was heard as one stood up and he blinked in surprise as Sayuri turned a corner and braced herself as one of them shot out and prepared for an attack as the other did as well.

" _Well, well, what's this?"_

In front of him were two people, both in their teen years judging from their build. His eyes traced the female with blue hair and dressed in all black. She wore a mask and her eyes were a crystalline sapphire blue, sharp like shards of glass while her stance was prepared for battle. A quick glance showed him the other dressed in what looked to be a type of battle suit, a full mask on his face that only left his right eye visible, it had bolts in the side of the neck, an eyepatch, and an evident lipless grin with a zipper between the teeth. Sayuri shivered, with his white hair and the icy silvery-brown color of his eye he looked quite sinister. Guren hummed in thought as he looked at the boy.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" asked Guren as he kept his sword ready. The two glanced at one another as if in confirmation before the female nodded to the boy.

"We're from around…we don't want to…fight…we just want to talk…" the boy said as he kept his eye on the two of them.

"Talk huh? What are you vampires?" the female nearly hissed.

"No, we aren't…we don't want any trouble…we were just coming to see what all the noise over here was about and then….leave…" Sayuri narrowed her eyes at the boy.

"Leave? And do what? Go tell your vampire friends? I think not!" she snapped. The female narrowed her own eyes at her.

"Listen here! We have others we have to protect as well! I don't care what you think we are but we aren't in the mood for a battle okay?" Guren eyed them oddly before raising his sword.

"Sorry, but we don't have proof of what you are or that you won't cause harm to us so I'll give you two options…" the two braced themselves.

"Lieutenant Colonel…" Guren nodded.

"Either you can come peacefully, or….I'll kill you right here and now," he said. The two teenagers stiffened like a wolf raising its hackles.

"We've survived nearly four years without interference from humans…. _do not test us_! Believe me, we can handle you…" Guren smirked at the boy.

"Then….come and give me a go….Sayuri, keep his little friend busy," he said as he took a step forward. The woman nodded and the blue haired girl narrowed her eyes.

"Don't even think about it!" she darted forward and Guren stared in shock as she knocked Sayuri into a wall.

"Usagi!" the boy glanced in her direction causing him to leave himself open for Guren's attack.

He took the chance and lashed at him only to meet air. The white haired boy flipped away before snarling as he landed and prepared himself to attack. Guren watched him as he moved and they played a game of tag with his sword while Sayuri and the female were kept busy. Without question, the boy before him was not just a teenager in some strange attire who had somehow survived the virus. No, he was a seasoned warrior, and powerful – which was something Guren had to take into consideration when the boy nailed him in the sternum – but he was also strangely light on his feet and agile. There was no mistaking his movements for a fortunately lucky person when it came to dodging his attacks. Guren was swift and skilled, but the teenager fighting him was more than that.

" _Close quarters combat, several times, and he's gone through some extensive battles as well…atop that….ooh! A tactical combatant, that's rare. The only one I've seen like that is Yuu and Mika…hmm…"_

Another key that Guren took note of when the boy moved was that he reacted similar to a well-trained human, but also had a sort of grace and agility that human beings did not possess. Yuu and Mika were similar in their fighting style – far to in control of their bodies, carrying an unnatural type of grace, and far more powerful in their hits. Guren grunted as a slim leg connected with his ribs and he slid back. The boy was crouched like an animal almost as he watched the boy prepare to attack him again. The two froze when a scream ripped through the air and they looked to the blue haired female who was settled on the ground with a dagger imbedded into her side. Guren had a split second to drag Sayuri back as the white haired teen growled in a feral manner and swept at her with a very strong attack. His speed and small frame doing what Yuu did for him – giving him a high advantage above all others – as he gathered the female in his arms and jumped away to land across the area from them.

"Damn, your strong kid! How much do you weigh? About one twenty-ish? Your kicks are just as strong as my youngest brat!" the boy snarled as the blue haired girl he had called Usagi hissed in pain. He laid her against the wall, not removing the blade and placed a gentle hand on her head as he brushed her bangs from her face.

"Lieutenant Colonel! I don't like this, what….what are they?" Sayuri asked in discontent over what she had already seen of their fighting capability.

"That boy moves far too fast for a normal human being. However, his advantage and Yuuichiro's is almost identical – slight in build, shorter in stature, and quick thinking – those are things that play in their favor. His movements are similar to his as well…his physical structure makes him faster and easier to maneuver in combat, but because of that he would normally be lighter in his hits, but again, just like with Yuu….he's got a strong kick and punch. I think he broke some of my ribs," Guren said as he put a hand to his right side.

"So, your kid is like me in that way? Huh, and here I thought humans were completely unable to handle themselves now…" Sayuri glared.

"I'll have you know that we can handle you fangs just fine!" at that the boy laughed.

"Fangs? Well, you are dense…" The two of them watched the boy unzip his mask and open his mouth to display normal looking teeth. Sayuri gaped while Guren smirked.

"No fangs…then…" Guren clapped.

"Well now, I figured you weren't a vampire. You don't fight like one at all…in fact you act like whatever weapon you use is like it's part of your body," Guren told him. The visible silvery-brown eye narrowed dangerously.

"You're more intelligent than you appear, Lieutenant Colonel. However, I must tell you this, while I do fight with a weapon…as do all of those like me….it isn't like its part of my body."

The boy heard the girl cough behind him and he took in a deep breath. The two watched as a horrid sound of ripping flesh was heard as a set of two pulsing red tendrils appeared from behind the boy and he kept himself posed to strike as they slithered about into the open before his right eye shot brimstone black and hellfire red. Sayuri took in a deep breath of panic while Guren felt his body give a nervous jolt. The boy crouched and bared his teeth at them through his mask as he gave a protective motion towards the girl.

"What…w-what the…hell?" questioned Guren as he stared. The boy snarled.

"The weapon is _inside my body!_ " a red tendril shot out and flung Sayuri into a wall while Guren blocked the object.

He was tossed back and coughed harshly as he realized how much stronger the boy was now. He eyed the changes in his appearance and could only stare at what he was seeing. Why didn't he recognize this sooner? Goshi had told him quite the tell from one of the units who had come back from the other cities of a creature that had looked human until some kind of strange object came from its body and it tore through them like they were nothing, only to devour the corpses. Guren now knew what the boy was as he stumbled out of the way of an attack that somehow missed him. It was a fortunate thing as well because the next attack would have lopped off his head.

" _Let's see…it's definitely organic….it's part of his body's structure and powerful…damn, I can't find a weak spot…what the hell is this exactly? Is he…"_

A powerful swat met his gut as he was knocked into the ground and nearly ran through by the object the boy's body had. The teenager darted up to him and bared his teeth in a snarl as he crouched before him in warning while Sayuri remained where she was and the blue haired girl held a hand to her wounded side as she got up after having pulled the knife from her body. It was nothing short of terrifying and hellish. Whatever the boy and girl were was definitely _not human._ But knowing that just made Guren's assumptions all the more possible as he watched the white haired boy keep a steady glare on him. One wrong move he realized, would be the end of him and Sayuri, and that didn't even count the others in Shinjuku. Therefore, Guren did the diplomatic thing, and tossed his sword aside before locking eyes with the boy while the female kept a close eye on him.

"Well….what the hell are you?" he questioned as the boy kept his eyes trained on him.

"Something you don't want to mess with…" the boy slinked up into a standing position and stepped back slowly while the two of them watched. The blue haired female braced herself for their attack and Guren decided that he should attempt to speak to the boy before something he never expected to happen came to pass.

An arrow was loosed and nailed the female in the shoulder sending the boy into a wild rage as she pulled the arrow from her shoulder and he batted off the next one with his internal weapon before a knife came at them and the two swiftly darted into the group. Guren stared wide eyed as a splatter of blood was heard and a pained scream before seconds later a wild sounding growl was trailing the sound of the scream as the creatures and the humans fought. Guren felt his body tremble as a red tendril tossed one of the men out of the way and then he heard him call the female's name again. In a matter of seconds the boy turned on them and with a shout of anger tossed the multitude into a nearby wall before sliding back with the girl in his arms as he was forced out of the area he had been in.

" _This is insane! If they don't stop….oh shit!"_

A feral snarl left the white haired boy as the female remained huddled in his arms. She had been stabbed through the stomach with a blade and was bleeding profusely. The boy himself had several wounds that weren't fairing any better than her own but he remained standing despite that and kept her close. One look, just that one glance in their direction told Guren that the two of them were lovers and held each other dear – this knowledge did nothing more than made him feel guilty as he watched the others prepare to strike – but before he could tell them to stand down a pale red, hooked tendril that favored a spine flew from the shadows and gutted two of the men as a barrage of crystals pierced the skulls of others while the white haired boy glanced his way before darting upwards onto a roof and over another before vanishing beyond the currently low bearing wall. Guren only stared as someone came to him and he looked around him at the cracks in the pavement and the damage done to buildings before his eyes landed on the bloody mess upon the ground that was the troops who had stepped into the midst of his fight with the boy.

"Lieutenant Colonel Guren! Are you okay?" Sayuri asked him and he nodded numbly.

"Yea but….I think I….just got a glimpse of…a Kyushu…"

 **{3:06am: Outer Rim of Shinjuku}**

The attempt to seek information within Shinjuku had been a disaster. All of them were wounded, and none of them had the energy to move at the time being. Hinami hissed as she let Nishiki tend to the large gash in her calve while Irimi assisted Kaneki with Touka. Thankfully, all of their wounds were survivable, but at their current condition all of them knew how dangerous their surroundings were. Knowing that the others from the settlement in Shinjuku would more than likely search for them at day break meant having to now plan their next step carefully and swiftly. As Kaneki did his best to keep Touka calm, Ayato narrowed his eyes at them almost as if he wished to blame the white haired Ghoul, but knew better. He didn't think he could honestly blame him for this because while it was bad, it wasn't so horrible that they had lost someone, and that had been thanks to Kaneki and Irimi's planning. He sighed as he took into account the fact that he had to manage the situation with caution due to the state that his sister was in. If anything he was amazed that the other's Kakuja hadn't come out, and personally he didn't care to see it again yet.

"So, what's the plan?" he asked. Everyone paused at this and Kaneki sighed as he pulled his mask down to let it pool around his throat.

"Personally? I think we need to get out of here once we've got everyone patched up and head towards Anteiku. I don't want to be out here anymore than we already have been…" Nishiki nodded in agreement.

"And in our conditions we're in no way shape or form a match for a large group of those humans," he stated. They nodded faintly.

"What were those weapons?" Kaneki glanced to the others.

"They weren't Quinque, but something else. Right now, we can't dwell on the details no matter how slim they may be….we need to get out of the perimeter of Shinjuku. They'll come after us around sunrise so that gives us three hours to get back into Tokyo…after that we need to tread lightly," he explained.

"Okay, she should be fine, but I don't think her moving around like she would need to would be wise." Kaneki nodded to Irimi.

"I'll carry her, it'll slow me a bit but I'll take care of her," he said as the others finished matching up their wounds and pulled their masks back on before Ayato assisted Touka in getting onto Kaneki's back.

Once they were ready everyone leapt from the building and to the next one before they began to move from the area surround the city and headed back to Anteiku where they knew they would begin discussing the issues that were present with Shinjuku. Kaneki thought on this as he followed the others back, and couldn't help but find himself discomforted by the idea of people that strong out there, but also knew they weren't sure where they were located and wouldn't waste resources if they weren't within a certain radius of the area. Still, he found himself getting the sense that this wasn't quite the end of their interactions with those humans. It would be too much of a coincidence if they didn't encounter them again.

" _I just hope when we meet them again it won't be as hostile…"_

Their forty-four minutes of racing over roof tops ultimately paid off for them as they had reached the twentieth ward by sun up and had stumbled their way into Anteiku to get proper medical treatment with Hide and Kimi's help. However, none of them were comfortable speaking about the less than wonderful adventure of the night and had gone straight to bed once they had been tended to. Kaneki would admit right at the moment he was at he didn't quite feel like sleeping, and because of that he was settled at the sliding glass door of Touka's apartment watching the rain begin to fall. He knew by the way the weather had felt that evening that the rain would come, and would be long and heavy, but it gave him a bit of peace as he watched the clouds turn black and slowly but surely the water poured outwards and batted harshly against the glass and building drowning out all noise of the building. It was a surprisingly peaceful which he was thankful for at the moment, and because he needed something along the lines of this to process what he'd learned so far.

" _Apparently, those people are quite efficient because Ayato swiped ear communicators for us as well as a few documents when he went searching…I should have known this wasn't going to go well….I should have ignored all of the ideas of even setting foot near Shinjuku, how damn stupid can I be?"_ there was the faintest creak of floorboards and Kaneki stiffened as he glanced behind him to see Touka leaning against the wall looking a little pale but no more worse for wear. He couldn't think how many times in the last four years he had been thankful for Ghouls being quick healers.

"Kaneki?" he sighed as he stood and came over to the girl as she stepped away from the wall and into his arms.

"Touka, you shouldn't be up okay?" to that the girl shook her head.

"M'okay….just hurts a bit…"

She snuggled up to him and he sighed as he reached down and tucked his arm under her knees. Touka blinked in surprise as he pulled her up into his arms and walked back into the bedroom and shut the door before moving to the bed where she was laid down. Kaneki went to move away, but Touka grabbed his shirt sleeve and pulled him closer making him lay beside her as she curled up and felt her eyes droop just a bit. The mixture of the heavy rainfall, and him being close easing her out of her pain and letting her relax easier. Kaneki sighed as he wrapped an arm gently around her and threaded his fingers through her hair while he tried to think of what to do now that they were aware of what was happening. Shinjuku was from this point on, off limits to any of them, and they were going to have to limit their hunting grounds to the inner rings of Tokyo City. As he thought of this he felt Touka's hand clench in his shirt and glanced down at her.

"Touka? Is everything okay?" to that the girl nodded again.

"Hmm…Kaneki? Thank you….for protecting me…" to that he smiled a bit and placed his head atop hers.

"I'll do it any time I promise Touka-chan…" she giggled just a bit.

"No matter how many times I try….I still can get used to how different we are around one another. I drop my guard and act like a silly _little girl_ and you become so affectionate it's like all the bad stuff never happened…why…" Kaneki glanced down at her a bit tiredly.

"What's wrong?" she shifted a bit.

"Why can't it stay that way? Why can't I just….why can we all just have a good life? Is that too much to ask for?" she questioned him on this and he could only feel a weight in his chest.

"Eventually, I think we will…okay?" to that she nodded slowly.

"Can I ask you a favor?" he looked down at her and she glanced up through her bangs.

"What is it?" she leaned up and placed a chaste kiss to his lips before reaching up a bit to tangle her fingers in his hair. Touka leaned back just a bit and stared him in the eyes before taking in a gentle breath.

"Don't be responsible for once…" he blinked momentarily before taking a deep breath as he eyed her.

"Touka, are you sure you should…" she nodded as she brushed her fingers against his cheek.

"I'm sure, just don't be responsible for once….be brash and reckless and we can be the opposite later….please?" Kaneki glanced at her once more and took a deep breath before cupping her face with his hand.

"Okay….just this time…I'll be reckless…" with that he leaned over her a bit and placed a gentle kiss to her lips hoping any future ideas or the ones running through their heads right then weren't a mistake.

 **{Shinjuku: 8:08am: Lieutenant Colonel, Guren Ichinose's apartment}**

"What happened last night? We heard crashes but couldn't get out of the room." Guren looked up from his report to see a blonde haired, blue eyed fourteen year old standing before him dressed in casual clothes.

"We had an issue, its handled…where's your midget of a brother?" he asked. The blonde glanced to the side.

"Apparently he wasn't feeling well last night because he's fast asleep. Sayuri said he had a bit of a fever too." Guren sighed.

"Figures that would happen. Eat something so you don't get sick too m'kay Mika?" the blonde sighed before nodding and coming to join him at the table. Guren glanced him over a bit while the boy picked a few items off the table to eat.

From first meeting the two boys he had adopted to now, they had grown into rather interesting youths. Without any doubt, both were strong and quick learners, but they were also outcasts within the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Both Yuuichiro and Mikaela Hyakuya were the only known survivors of the Vampire Reign – the four year time frame in which the vampires had full blown global domination – and were looked down upon for it instead of being praised for their determination to live. A majority of the people within the Army and the Moon Demon Company had heard accounts of what had happened just before the two boys had been found in the snow by Guren, Sayuri, and Shigure in December of twenty-sixteen, and at best only a few held sympathy for the boys. Most viewed them as dangerous and untrustworthy and that had come from Yuuichiro's personality, and his bad habit of tensing around others before lashing out.

The boy, for his petite frame and shorter stature, was nothing succinct of menacing. All those years around the vampires had turned the boy into a hardened fighter, and a fearless combatant. No matter how many times Guren looked at him when they trained he couldn't see fear – he saw aggression, determination, and cunning – but never anything akin to fear. Mika, was the kinder of the two, taller and thicker in build and much more compassionate and forgiving than his brother. Guren smirked as he thought about his training experience with the blonde boy, who also was determined, but not as aggressive unless needed, and he most certainly was cunning, but he had a different feel to him. It was more moderate and flowing like a slightly fast current in a river, while with Yuu it was a full-blown force of nature. Something wild, fierce, and predatory like a wolf. Guren eyed the blonde again and then his memory flashed an image of the white haired youth from last night.

" _Sleek, cunning, resolute, courageous, fearless….and predatory….that boy and Yuu are a great deal alike in that aspect…but he also had a sense of a truly war hardened soldier….Yuu has a feeling almost like that but its lighter because he's not faced a real battle on the field since he shot that Noble vampire three years ago…damn…what was that kid? Was he really a Kyushu of all things?"_

"Guren? Guren? Hey! Guren!" the Lieutenant Colonel looked at the blonde boy sitting at the table with him and blinked.

"What?" Mika sighed.

"Sayuri has been calling you for about ten minutes, go see what she wants," he said.

Guren groaned as he stood and waved a hand at Mika who laughed as he went towards where Sayuri was calling him. He entered the room and found Sayuri kneeling next to the sofa where Yuu was still soundly sleeping, but not looking quite healthy. Guren stared a bit surprised by that, and it was merely because the two boys despite being ill when found had disgustingly perfect health, and had never been sick since their first few months of being in Guren and Sayuri's care. Therefore, seeing Yuu of all people, who was normally full of energy and fire clearly unconscious because of a fever was nothing short of dumbfounding.

Sayuri gave him a frown as she placed a hand on the black haired teenager's forehead and frowned again. Guren looked at the boy's pale skin and flushed cheeks and wanted to slap himself because he had heard Yuu mention off handedly that he had felt strange yesterday, but had outright ignored it. That had been a mistake he realized now, because Yuu _never_ felt sick. If the boy had mentioned feeling strange it should have been a red flag to leave him and Mika in Shibuya and tend to him, but he hadn't listened.

"Is he okay?" he asked. Sayuri shook her head.

"He's got a high fever. I really don't like leaving him where he is, but at the same time I don't want to jostle him to much because of the body pains. He's gotten too big for me to pick him up still so…" Guren rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'll put him in his room where Mika can keep an eye on him and let him get some rest there." Sayuri stood and smiled as Guren came over to the sofa and put his arms under the boy before hoisting him up into his grasp.

Guren never could quite get how odd it felt if he had to help one of the boy's stand or move when they got hurt. Mika would hobble around on occasion and ultimately Yuu and Guren would be made to take him to Sayuri or Shigure for care, but when Yuu got hurt Mika made a show of embarrassing the smaller teen by hoisting him up into his arms bridal style and walking off with him while Yuu would basically spit fire over it. The boy hated being treated as if he was in any way, shape or form fragile because he was smaller than most his age, and went out of his way to prove to others that he could _easily_ dispatch someone twice his size. Still, despite all the times he'd carried one of them back after they'd fallen asleep from being exhausted in training he hadn't been able to shake the feeling of how uncommon it was for him to be so affectionate. His eyes trailed down to Yuu as Sayuri asked him to wait until she got what she needed and held Yuu in his arms with the boy's head resting on his shoulder. Right then, Guren almost forgot that the boy he was tending to with Mika and Sayuri's help was just a _child_ still, and was still inexperienced in many other hardships that life could throw his way, but he knew even as he laid the boy down and Sayuri covered him up to go tell Mika what to do for him that both of his brats were going to overcome those obstacles because they were just far too stubborn.

"Get better brat, I don't need your stubbornness failing you now of all times." And with that he turned off the light and left the door cracked.

 **{…}**

 _I'll get back to my home…_

 **{…}**

Author's Note: So, here's chapter 16, a bit of action, some thoughts, a touch or romance, and a glimpse at how Guren viewed Yuu and Mika when they were about fourteen years old.

Tell me what you guys think! Fall break is October 9th so that means that I'll have about five or so days to do updates! *cheers* I'm so glad because that means I get update this story and Seraphim Blood 2! Look for updates guys, because in a few chapters this will be done and the story will continue!

Well, here's the Preview:

Touka eyed the room around her as she considered some of the events that had taken place up until now, and then she smiled just a bit as she glanced back at the boy asleep next to her. She hated the losses, but it had given her so much more, even if that had come with a bruise as well. Last week, in the first five days of November, Kaneki had lost control again and had done something that wounded him far greater than anything from the recent years had. She sighed as she reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and grazed the pale bare skin there to see the small scar left by Ayato's attempt to stop him. She was thankful everything was okay now, but it had still harmed him and she hated it.

"Like I said, you become so different when you're out there, compared to when you're here with me…"

Chapter 17: Mukade


	17. Chapter 17: Mukade

Chapter 17: Mukade

 **{ Anteiku: November 10** **th** **, 2018, 5:45am}**

Blue eyes peered up at the ceiling in a dimly lit bedroom in the earliest hours of the morning while Touka listened to the silent breathing and the stillness around her. She moved to her side and glanced at the white haired boy next to her and smiled slightly as she brushed her hand across his upper arm gently so not to wake him. She knew lately that Kaneki had been exhausted and easily distraught over simple things that she found worrisome. However, she understood why he had been so concerned in particular. She sighed as she sat up and looked down while contemplating what would happen today with him as she tried to find ways to keep him calm and not make him feel like an invalid because of his own discomfort with showing his face around the others right then.

Touka eyed the room around her as she considered some of the events that had taken place up until now, and then she smiled just a bit as she glanced back at the boy asleep next to her. She hated the losses, but it had given her so much more, even if that had come with a bruise as well. Last week, in the first five days of November, Kaneki had lost control again and had done something that wounded him far greater than anything from the recent years had. She sighed as she reached out and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and grazed the pale bare skin there to see the small scar left by Ayato's attempt to stop him. She was thankful everything was okay now, but it had still harmed him and she hated it.

"Like I said, you become so different when you're out there, compared to when you're here with me…" she whispered this in his ear and he flinched a bit before she slightly ran her fingers through his hair and took in a deep breath. What was she to do about this? He was different thank last time.

Kaneki had outright hurt Ayato – he had been wild and vicious in doing so as well – and Touka, as well as the others, had been completely unable to stop him. Her eyes burned a bit as she curled back up in the comforter and nuzzled his shoulder a bit. He had torn into Ayato as if he was nothing and had caused her brother a great deal of pain while Nishiki tried to shield them and ultimately ended up getting hurt himself with a Kakuja to the back that left a deep gash behind. However, those wounds were for the most part healed, but it had been a bit hard to convince him after he had managed to somehow reign it all back inside himself to come back to Anteiku. He had made himself sick from biting into her brother when he'd grabbed him to hold him down, and had been nothing short of a mess when she'd gone to find him. It was late, starting to snow, and freezing when she'd brought him back to Anteiku and the others had already gone to bed and Touka had set to making him calm and feeling better. However, that also included forcing him to let go of his own strangle hold on control and to just give into certain things from time to time – which she had noted he had gotten quite good at – but it still didn't change his emotions from the entire ordeal.

" _Not that the others are helping much…Irimi is spooked, Hide doesn't know what to do even if he could, Nishiki is refusing to speak to him and Kimi is freaked out, Ayato doesn't hate him for it but is keeping his distance, and Hinami….she doesn't even know how to understand it all and she's just scared that he's hurting. And here I am, seducing the poor thing just to keep him from dwelling on it…God I feel horrible now! Why am I evening thinking about this?"_

"Touka….you think too loud…" she blinked at the statement and looked up into tired silvery-brown eyes.

"How can I think too loud?" she asked. He shrugged a bit and buried his face in the pillow, unwilling to move as of yet. Not that Touka could blame him – it was wasn't exactly warm and cozy in the room or outside.

"You just do…and you don't need to feel bad about….seducing me as you put it…I've welcomed the distraction from you….and I appreciate you trying to find a means to an end." To that Touka blinked wide eyed at him.

"Kaneki?" her tone suggested wariness and he blinked up at her momentarily.

"What's wrong Touka-chan?" she began to stare owlishly at him.

"You….just….said what I was thinking… _verbatim_! How…" the boy paused momentarily and then glanced her way.

"I don't know okay? I was just thinking about you moving around too much this early in the morning and the next thing I know your thoughts just kind of came to mind…but honestly, I could tell by how you were squirming and your expressions…" Touka groaned as she laid back down again and rolled onto her back in defeat.

"Your Empathic trick again I presume?" she inquired. He laughed faintly as he leaned over her and nuzzled her pulse point.

"Might as well be…it's not going to make a difference right now is it?" she blinked at him.

"Hmmh….no I guess not. But, a warning would be nice…" he hummed in thought before nipping at the area bit.

"You're warm…so stay close for a bit longer okay?" Touka smiled as she wrapped her arms around him with a smirk.

"Okay, I'll stay….besides its more comfortable here right now than trying to get ready for the day when it's snowing," she mumbled as she buried her face in his hair. She was content to stay put for the rest of the day if she could.

 **{Downstairs: 8:00am}**

Hideyoshi Nagechika, had been through the ringer since these last three years had come and gone. But, honestly, this was beginning to take the top of the list. He understood that the others got spooked by Kaneki's sudden loss of control on his Kakuja, but had they really been that surprised? He sighed as he looked down at the cup of coffee in his hand while Irimi set to working behind the counter and assisting with the typical morning routine. He really didn't know what to think about the Ghouls reactions to Kaneki's behavior, but he knew it needed to change because sooner or later someone was going to get themselves hurt due to a lack of consideration for what was really happening. Nishiki had understood as had Ayato despite them both being hurt, and while Hinami was a bit shaken, she was more concerned with her brother being okay. And then, there was Irimi, she was panicked and understood a few extra details, but it honestly could have gone better.

"You okay Hide? You look tired," said Irimi.

"I'm fine, I just….I don't like the distances…" she sighed at that as she looked him over.

"None of us like what happened, and I know that our behavior didn't help his state of mind….I feel the worst about it," she told him.

"Why? Because you let him think he was some monster because he lost control? We all knew it was going to happen, so why? Why did you guys do that to him?" she looked down in shame.

"I didn't want to….I just panicked because I've seen what happens when a Kakuja gets that out of control Hide….and I know shoving him away and lashing out with my Kagune wasn't the right course of action….Touka's already reamed me for it." Hide nodded.

"She's being oddly close to him lately," he said. Irimi gave him a glance.

"Well, their relationship is a bit different now…" she waited and in a matter of seconds Hide's eyes grew wide.

"No freaking way!" she shook her head.

"Don't be so loud! Ayato doesn't need details and I don't want to see how thin either of their patience is." Hide nodded slowly.

"I get it but…when….no….i don't want to know," he said. Irimi rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on….Kaneki's an adult he can handle it." The blonde glanced down.

"I'm used to him being shy still about that stuff so….to think…" the blonde turned blood colored.

"Wow, you really don't know your best friend as well as you think you do Hide," Irimi stated simply.

"I figured….but…talking to him about being a Ghoul and his relationship with Touka can….sometimes….be…difficult…." Irimi looked him over again.

"I can understand that, and I get how it's frustrating, but…I can talk to Touka and see how things are I'm sure she'll give me a few details on how Kaneki is doing right now if I apologize about the farce," she said calmly. Hide nodded slowly.

"I think that might be a good idea. Kaneki isn't willing to speak to people because he feels so guilty so….yea….good luck with that Irimi…" the female Ghoul smiled.

"Well, I'm sure Touka will be willing to talk. Kaneki seems to be good at calming her. I'll go see them after I finish my coffee…"

"Right…."

 **{12:02pm – Upstairs}**

Kaneki and Nishiki had gone to hunt for the afternoon and that meant that Touka was present and Irimi had the opportunity to talk to her. Currently the woman was settled in her living room from the upstairs apartment and was waiting on Touka to begin speaking. The woman was sure she knew why she had come to speak to her, and Touka wasn't sure how to take it. Did Ayato know what had happened exactly? Or was she blowing this out of proportion? She sighed and looked at Irimi who smiled just a bit before picking up the cup of coffee she had been given while Touka herself prepared for some form of reprimanding merely because she knew how Irimi could be about choices made when someone only thought that they knew what they were doing. She sighed as Irimi set her cup down and looked her over.

"I wanted to talk to you about what's been happening lately…" Touka frowned.

"What exactly?" Irimi gave her an imploring look.

"Touka, I know how your relationship with Kaneki has moved on from being where it was and that's fine…I'm not going to scold you for making the choices you two did, but I am concerned about how he's doing since the Kakuja acted up," she said. Touka looked down at that.

"He's okay….shaken up and worried that all of you are scared of him again, but….Irimi….the other night we were going to sleep and then….he just started shaking…and he said he was in pain…..this is hurting more than just his emotional state, his body is hurting…you know what happens with a Kakuja when it gets to be stronger and the ghouls need to make it complete itself." Irimi blinked, wide eyed at the statement.

"Then he needs to hunt for other Ghouls and that Kakuja needs to be stunted," she told her.

"I let him bite me….and after a bit it helped…I'm already healed, and it hardly was as bad as you probably think….I don't even have a scar." Irimi relaxed at the statement.

"That was actually very smart thinking of you," she said. The blue haired girl sighed.

"I don't get why everyone here is so tense! I mean we knew it was a possibility." To that Irimi rose an eyebrow.

"Touka, we're tense because we were attacked by one of our own," she said. Touka shot her a glare.

"Not by choice! All of you are treating him like he's some kind of _wild beast_ and not a person just like you and I are!" to that Irimi flinched.

She knew Touka was right about that statement. They had all treated Kaneki for the most part, as if he was some sort of animal, and had no feelings. Yet, if she were to look at his eyes she saw how painful the experience for him was, and even worse, none of them had tried to console him except for Touka, and judging by what she had caught from her well placed hearing, they were both quite capable of consoling one another. Irimi smiled just a bit as she eyed Touka who looked oddly calm despite her outburst, and she could only laugh a bit at the image.

"He has you quite subdued by now doesn't he?" to that Touka went blood red in the face and frowned.

"That's not funny Irimi!" the older Ghoul laughed.

"Oh Touka, your flustered like a little school girl! That's adorable!" and then she had something thrown at her. She laughed as the other girl rolled her eyes.

"You guys always make such a big deal out of it…" Irimi eyed her.

"I must admit, when I first met him I never expected the things he was capable of to be a possibility….I never expected him to become this powerful, or take on a battalion of CCG personnel, save all of you, keep you all alive, fall in love with _you of all people,_ and win your heart. I never expected any of that from the quiet, shy, and sweet natured boy I met four years ago," she stated softly. Touka looked at her momentarily.

"I never expected it either. Kaneki is full of surprises and always a wonderment to me…" to that Irimi eyed him.

"What's it like? When he holds you in his arms and nuzzles your hair? Or gives you a kiss….what about when you and him…" to that Touka held her arms up in an X shape in front of her.

"Do not go there! That is personal! But the other stuff? He's always gentle, and protective, soft, warm, almost to tender at times…he always likes the way I smell, he likes to tuck my hair behind my ears and ghosts his fingers up my throat…sometimes he's commanding and powerful, and sometimes he's the shy, meek, and quiet boy I knew….but I like him how he is, and I don't want to change it," she told Irimi calmly. The woman smiled softly.

"That's what I wanted to hear Touka….your good for him. I think it's because of you that he's still sane and clinging to his humanity." Touka glanced down.

"I hope so….I'll need him…" to that Irimi stared momentarily. Touka glanced down and then Irimi gulped.

"Your….not…" the girl looked down.

"I don't think so…no…my scent hasn't change at all and I would know by now…" Irimi nodded.

"So, just a scare huh?" the blue haired girl looked down.

"I kind of…didn't want it to be…he panicked of course…and it would have been my fault because I told him not to be responsible for once in his life and he decided to back in August…" Irimi looked floored.

"Whoa, back up, August? That's when this started? Damn, you guys hid that one well," she said.

"We had too….but…like I said he panicked and I really wanted…" and then Irimi felt her eyes soften.

"You want to have a child in the midst of all this?" she asked her. Touka glanced down again.

"I guess….I'm not really sure to be honest, but…I…suppose I'm just thinking about a family in the future…" to that Irimi nodded slowly.

"We all want that Touka, and I'm sure you understand why Kaneki….oh Touka is that why? Did he lose control because…" Touka glanced down.

"I should probably explain…"

"That would be nice…especially if Kaneki lost control because he got so worried about you…" Irimi trailed off, hesitant to say what Touka knew she was thinking.

"And a potential baby…I know…its fine if you say it…and he understood. But when I told him I thought I was pregnant he was nervous about what that could mean for the child and that's understandable if you consider our situation…" Irimi nodded at that.

"I agree that being anxious is reasonable in this world. But was it too much?" she asked. Touka bit her lip.

"He was already not feeling right and hurting a bit….but….when I told him he panicked again about how we were going to take care of the baby, what we were going to do for me…how we're going to be able to handle any of this…its more his fear of that child not having a good life," she said. Irimi frowned.

"He's afraid that the child's life would be like his or yours, or Hinami's. He wants better for that child." Touka nodded at that.

"Kaneki never would want someone to go through what he has. I can't imagine him allowing a child to go through something that would make them as cold as he's had to be," she stated slowly.

"Touka….it's alright to be a bit upset about that. Often most mother's started off with scares and hopes….don't worry….eventually you and the rest of us can have an easier life and we can have families. Just wait and see." There was a knock on the door before the blue haired girl could say anything else and the two looked to see Kaneki walking in and shutting the door with a heavy sigh.

"Kaneki, your back already?" he nodded at the question.

"Yea, the vampires were really antsy today – we got two though so I'm not too concerned – it's probably those humans on the boarders that's got them worked up…" Irimi stood.

"I'll go help Nishiki." With that she left and Touka stood.

"Kaneki…" he nodded as he walked towards her and wrapped an arm around her waist before pulling her into a hug.

"I don't blame you. It wasn't your fault I lost control….I promise you're not to blame Touka…"

"I know…its fine…how are the others?" silvery-brown eyes glanced down to her.

"Surprisingly enough, they're okay now….Hide blew up at Ayato about something and they were a lot calmer after that…it seems I've been forgiven," he stated. Touka smiled as she tucked her head against his chest.

"Good, now….spend some time with me okay? I don't want to be alone and I'm tired." He nodded and leaned down to pick her up in his arms. Touka smiled a bit as she rested her head against his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head.

"Let's get some sleep okay? I think it's been a long enough day."

 **{November 11** **th** **12:02am}**

Nishiki frowned as he looked at the sulking blue haired teenager as he made some coffee for them. It was late, but not many of them were sleeping. At best he had counted Hinami, Kaneki, and Touka being asleep – which meant that they had time to discuss the current situation – and he intended too. Earlier, Hide had outright barked at them for being complete idiots, and he had good reason too. Kaneki hadn't been able to help what had happened even though he had tried, and that meant that at this point the only ones who were to blame were themselves. Kaneki had already received apologizes from them, and Ayato seemed complacent with the situation, but it did make him wonder what he was so anxious about.

"What's got you uptight?" he asked as the blue haired teen rolled his eyes.

"I feel like a total ass for behaving how I did, and I got bossed by a _human_ of all things…" Kimi giggled a bit.

"Hide did the right thing I think…I mean….all of us were being a bit unfair," she stated as she glanced at the blonde who was reading through a book.

"Damn straight…" Irimi rolled her eyes. She did wonder if she should inform them of _why_ Kaneki lost control, but had decided she would see how the conversation went and if it was needed or not.

"What I want to know is what made Kaneki lose control like that? It hasn't happened since the stress load has lessened since we started living like this. It's very confusing," said Nishiki as he looked them over.

" _Damn it now I have to hope they don't veer into the direction of the real reason…"_ Irimi thought as she looked them over and kept her expression calm.

"You think? Honestly, there's only a few things I know of that would make Kaneki of all people go off the deep end and those are that someone he cares for got hurt, he had a relapse and channeled it through his Kakuja, or someone really _pissed him off._ And even then, Kaneki wouldn't have lost it until after he was away from us, but he didn't hesitate…" Hide trailed off and the others looked uncomfortable about the situation.

"What if it was about Touka?" all eyes turned to Kimi.

"Do you know something we don't?" asked Ayato.

"Well….I've noticed how close they've been lately – more so than normal – and I was suspecting that maybe…you know….their relationship had….taken the next step?" the group glanced down with an effort to be dignified enough to not let their minds wander too much to her statement's meaning, and took in a few deep breaths as they waited for a specific someone to blow a fuse.

"WHAT?" Irimi looked at Ayato who was glowering at Kimi who kept a surprisingly straight face as she looked at the irate Ukaku Ghoul.

"I said they've probably taken another step in their relationship. Come on, don't be an idiot Ayato, I know you are well aware of what I mean. Kaneki and Touka have been a lot closer than normal and that's clearly why." Blue eyes went black and red.

"I'm going to kill that damn son of a…." Irimi stood and flicked him on the back of the head. He shot her a glare and she glowered.

"Kaneki isn't an idiot Ayato Kirishima, and I don't want you sending threats after them. Your sisters is _happy and content_ why can't you just let her be?" she asked. Ayato floundered for an answer.

"B-Because what….what if…. _what if she's pregnant!_ " needless to say that did get a few stares from the others in the room. Irimi sighed in frustration and shook her head.

"What do you honestly think Kaneki freaked out about? He was afraid of her having a child in this world like it is now….when she suspected that might have been what was wrong with her….she told him and he got concerned…he waited a whole five days before it broke him down…now you tell me this – if he wasn't concerned with what that could entail for Touka then why would he let that very idea eat away at him like that?" they gaped at her.

"Whoa….did Touka….tell you that she's…" Irimi shook her head again.

"No, it was just a scare really, but….she was actually upset about it. Personally, because I heard her talk about it I think she…really wanted to have a family and wanted to have a baby," she stated. Kimi looked down at that.

"I hate to say it, but Nishiki was right about it being a big risk. Kaneki clearly knows that or he wouldn't have panicked. Now more than ever I think we should just try to support each other. Otherwise it's pointless." The others glanced down at that.

"You have a point but…."

There was a soft pat of footsteps and the group turned to see Kaneki peering out from behind the doorframe watching them in faint curiosity. Judging from the half-open state of his eyes, he had been awake for no longer than a few minutes. However, he didn't look exactly pleased about the topic for reasons they could guess. Rarely, did anyone want their public life spoken about so casually, and in this case, it was a topic of which he had little interest in hearing about a gain.

"It's nearly one in the morning and here all of you are gossiping. Honestly, you're worse than a bunch of hens…" Hide glanced at Nishiki who nodded as they considered his tone. The boy was clearly not in a good mood.

"We actually were trying to understand why you were in such a bad state that day," said Hide with a smile. Kaneki gave him a bland look.

"Your still a horrible liar…" the blonde laughed a bit.

"It is true, but Irimi spoke to Touka earlier so…she told us what went on….I'm sure it seems pretty bad coming in on the tail of the situation but we were pretty much just checking where everything was…" to that the white haired Ghoul rolled his eyes.

"Uhuh, well, keep it down. You've already woken up Hinami because of that outburst Ayato. Touka was pissed and you know why…" the other grumbled.

"Well, I'm sure that the two of you can handle it. Especially if you're going to be parents at some point…don't know why you'd want a brat though…I mean…"

Ayato was face to face with a sharpened Rinkaku in the time it took to blink. The others gaped as Kaneki remained at the doorway and locked eyes with Ayato from under his bangs while he glared at the younger Ghoul. The pure malice radiating off him was enough to have most of them lean away as Ayato dared not move in fear of what the other would do to him.

"First of all, I don't find your comment funny, secondly you should respect people's wishes for _a somewhat peaceful life._ Is that too much to fucking ask for? Or do you just not give a damn what people want and do what you very well please? Let me tell you something Ayato – that kind of life brings nothing but pure hell on others – and if you care at all for Touka or Hinami…hell! _For anyone!_ You'll put aside those thoughts and consider what world we exist in now. Touka can want to have a family and live a peaceful life if she very well damn pleases, and if the others want it that way too then who the fuck are you to tell them otherwise?" the Rinkaku withdrew and the boy blinked in shock.

"I-I'm not….trying to say she or anyone else doesn't….deserve a good life…but…." At that Kaneki rolled his eyes.

"You clearly, don't know what Aogiri did to those we care for. Ayato, both of us harmed others and did things that can never be fixed…we took lives, we tore families apart and for what? Some petty purpose of thinking that Ghouls and Human beings are so far apart that they're both nothing more than _monsters._ We owe the people with us now more than we can repay and you know that!"

Kaneki's words were biting, and nothing but the truth. Ayato had known that for a long time now, and had strived to improve upon himself, but clearly needed work still. It was a simple off handed comment, but he had never bothered to consider how greatly it affected his sister or the others. Touka wanted peace, she didn't want to be a warrior anymore – she wanted a home, a life, a family, and a normal up bringing for them – but for the time being it wasn't possible. Ayato sighed in defeat and glanced up at Kaneki.

"Yea, your right….I'm sorry….I need to think about my words a bit more…" the others glanced down knowing that it was needed from not just one or another, but all of them.

"Our futures depend on how well we can defend Anteiku and the twentieth ward. We're a team and we've been one long before the vampires took over. We need to stay together now more than ever. All of you have trusted me to make the right choices so far when I'm not a leader, and I'm not someone people should put their faith in…but I'm glad you were willing to trust me so…from now on all I ask is that you trust me to some extent with more than just battles and hunts…I want to make this better than it was so I need help…" the others smiled and Irimi nodded.

"We're always going to help you and you've already helped us Kaneki. I know I was harsh with you that day during the Raid, but….I realized why when you saved me and Koma…all those things was because you knew getting stronger would save us if you had to step in and help. I didn't thank you for it then, but I want to thank you now because I know that the Manager would be happy that we're all here working together like he wanted us too," she said. Kaneki smiled in a small manner at that.

"Yea….I promised him last time I talked to him…that if the time came I would help keep Anteiku and its people safe. I don't want to let him down…so…let's keep trying to stay together okay? I don't want anyone coming apart at the seams…" the others smiled just a bit.

"Sure why not? I've worked with you so far ain't I? And I've worked with you in the past. This is to fun to stop," Ayato said as he smirked just a bit.

"I promised to keep the others safe as well, so I'm going to," Irimi told him as he looked them over.

"Same here, Anteiku and the others are home and family," Nishiki stated simply as Kimi nodded.

"Exactly…" Kaneki glanced at Hide who rolled his eyes.

"Don't give me that look, you know as well as I do what my answer is going to be. Your like my brother, I'm sticking with all of you Ghouls till the bitter end," he informed him with a broad smile and Kaneki nodded a bit in submission of that as he smiled in a small and relieved manner.

"Good, I was hoping this recent event wouldn't turn us away from one another. I'm happy to see that it's okay now."

They were relieved as much as he was on that point, because now, more than ever, they would have to stay together and keep one another safe like a true family would. No more distrust or anxiety around each other, because at this point, they were family if nothing more.

 **{….}**

 _And for now I'm on my own…_

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Okay, here's chapter 17, and now an important notice:

Chapter 18 -25 will be updated _**at once.**_ Meaning, that the next chapter will also be a mass update of the remaining 8 chapters of this story. That way I can focus more on Seraphim Blood 2: Ghouls & Angels.

Request: get this story to reach 70 reviews! I would aim for 100, but, with this one that's probably not going to come for a while.

Has anyone guessed the song yet? No? Keep trying!

We've hit the critical point folks! Who's excited?

Well, here's your preview:

Guren frowned as he looked at the two boys while Sayuri spoke to him on reports coming in from Shinjuku. He had been considering several things since their encounter with the Kyushu as of two weeks ago, and what it meant for them in the future. The two of them they'd encountered weren't hostile until they'd attacked and that showed him a few key details that he found interesting. It also meant he had reason to give thought to a certain portion of the city he was looking at that might at some point be revived.

"Sayuri?"

"Yes Guren?" the man smirked.

"What would you say to having a twenty-twenty raid on Tokyo City?"

Chapter 18: Inclination


	18. Chapter 18: Inclination

Chapter 18: Inclination

 **{Shibuya, Tokyo: January 3** **rd** **, 2019, 7:05am}**

"Come on Mika! He's beating your ass into a pulp!" Guren said as Mika took another sharp hit of a bokken to the ribs.

"I can't help that he's that freaking fast!" the blonde ducked, missing being hit in the head by a few inches.

"Well, at least you can dodge," Guren laughed as Yuu rounded on his brother and swung out, nailing him in the shoulder.

It was always entertaining to watch them practice. Mika did his best, but if he were to be honest, a Katana wasn't the proper sword for him. He imagined a Highland or British long sword would be best. As his eyes trailed Mika's currently bruised form his eyes glanced at the smaller of the two. As for Yuu, the katana fit him so well it was almost comical. The boy was too swift for his brother in some areas, and it paid off. The blonde managed a strike on the black haired boy only for the other to slide to the ground and move into a practical handstand before doing a single arrow swift kick to his sternum before landing in a crouch as he looked at the blonde who was now on the ground holding his stomach in pain.

"Got your ass beat by a midget," Guren shook his head. Yuu shot him a glare.

"Really? Your nicknames are losing their edge Guren. What? Are you getting old?" the other shot him a glare.

"Do you want to get court martialed?" emerald eyes rolled in annoyance as he helped Mika up.

"Round two?" Mika offered and the other gave him a well-known sadistic smirk.

"You're on!" as the two of them jumped into the fray Sayuri came up and stared as Yuu parried Mika's attack and swiped his feet out from under him only to be dragged down and thrown before he cartwheeled out of the way as the blonde went after him again.

"My, they're energetic," she said. Guren sighed.

"No kidding…Yuu just got better a few days ago, so I've been watching him for any signs that he's still not well, but he's full of energy." The brunette laughed a little as Mika knocked his brother over and got kicked in the stomach for it. The boy flipped over and landed ready for another attack.

"His movements are quicker than normal…Guren?" the man nodded.

"After he got better he said he felt a stint in his abilities break off. He's gotten stronger and it's abnormal. I'm beginning to think that Yuu is even less human than we thought at first, and if he's this way then Mika is no different," he stated steadily.

"What would that mean for them?" she glanced at the boys as they blocked each other's attacks and then Mika swiped Yuu across the shoulder and the boy hissed in pain before turning on his heels and caught the blonde in the side again.

"If they begin developing abilities, we'll have to watch closely. Yuu is already showing signs of several talents as is Mika in a slightly slower rate. If anything, I feel like we're going to be facing some major problems in the near future…" Sayuri nodded silently.

"Alright sir, well, I have progress reports from Goshi, Mito, and Shigure. Shinya is also given you a report and…" there was a clink of bokken hitting one another before his mind wandered.

Guren frowned as he looked at the two boys while Sayuri spoke to him on reports coming in from Shinjuku. He had been considering several things since their encounter with the Kyushu as of two weeks ago, and what it meant for them in the future. The two of them they'd encountered weren't hostile until they'd attacked and that showed him a few key details that he found interesting. It also meant he had reason to give thought to a certain portion of the city he was looking at that might at some point be revived.

"Sayuri?"

"Yes Guren?" the man smirked.

"What would you say to having a twenty-twenty raid on Tokyo City?" the woman stared.

"E-what? Raid Tokyo City? Have you lost your mind Lieutenant Colonel? Why would we go on a raid in Tokyo City?" to that Guren shrugged.

"I think it would be useful," he said.

"About as useful as a heart attack! This is about the Kyushu isn't it? You want to go after them." her tone was accusing and he rolled his eyes.

"No, I do feel I owe them a slight apology though…we attacked without any real reason. They wanted to talk, and we drew our weapons. I believe we owe them a bit of understanding when we cross paths again," he explained.

"They eat human beings sir…" he nodded.

"And we eat animals. We need an ally, and those Kyushu might be what we need to deal with the vampires," Guren told Sayuri this and she gaped.

"Wait, are you suggesting that the Kyushu are what? _Natural predators_ when it comes to vampires specifically?" to that he nodded.

"Yes, I am. I think it makes perfect sense if you consider it. You'd be surprised what is a predator of what exactly now a days," he explained.

"True, but…" Guren smiled.

"Watch and make sure those two don't kill each other. I have an idea I need to pitch towards General Smartass Hiragi," he stated as he walked away.

"Lieutenant Colonel…" Sayuri was cut off by a sharp yelp.

"What the hell Mika! That was uncalled for!" the blonde laughed as the other rubbed the red spot on the center of his forehead.

"On an upside your bangs will cover it Yui!" the boy shot him a glower as he stood and a deathly aura filled the area.

"That's it…AKANE I'M SENDING MIKA TO MEET YOU!" the blonde froze and dread appeared on his face.

"Yuu? H-Hey now…Yuu! Come on that's not….Yuuichiro?" the boy's eyes lit up electric green and Sayuri gawked at the scene before her.

"If you have a religion, start praying, and if you don't _I suggest you find one!"_

"Yuu…come on I was….oh shit…I'M SORRY!" Mika took off flying down the hill as the smaller teen was hot on his heels.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SORRY IS MIKAELA!"

" _Oh dear…this is going to be a long day…"_ was all Sayuri could think as she watched Mika run like the devil was after him. And, if she were honest, he might as well behave like it judging from Yuu's glare.

 **{Inner area of Shibuya: 9:01am}**

"So, you are proposing we….prepare to send in troops towards Tokyo City? You think it will aid us in the long run? Is that correct? Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose?" asked General Hiragi as the man nodded.

"Yes sir, I believe that by hindering both Tokyo and a majority of the surrounding cities, we can by chance, recover this sector of Japan from the vampires." Shinya smiled, liking Guren's plan and hoping to support him.

"Hmm….Kureto? What do you think?" General Hiragi looked to his eldest son who frowned at Guren.

"Personally? I am unsure of whether or not this is the best course of action. Nagoya was supposedly the main objective for the situation with the Noble Vampires. What other purpose would this serve other than to thin out our units?" he questioned Guren and the Lieutenant Colonel smiled.

"It's simple. By taking care of Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Kanazawa, Hamamatsu, and Hiroshima we've completely culled the main cities from them. Germany, and England have gotten back on their feet as has America. Italy is in the process via the Vatican, so I think this is our time to bring up our own areas."

"It still thins us out to greatly. It is an unneeded risk that…" Shinya cleared his throat.

"Actually, I see the reason behind wanting to overthrow those cities. It will not only grow our hold on Japan, but it can also grow our population and become an epicenter of new recruits. Just as we had two new recruits last year because Guren took some salt in that prophecy that was given to us by that woman," he said.

"Yes, speaking of which….those two boys of yours Ichinose…" Guren felt his chest knot.

"They are doing well, and I am aware that they've caused a few situations. However, there is reason in it when the others sit idle and they see an opening that others do not," Guren told him. The General frowned.

"I am glad, but, that is not what I wished to address. I want you to bring them both here for me to evaluate. I am well aware that the children you've adopted aren't normal human beings….I've heard what others say of them. That they have unnatural powers, that they've been experimented on and what have you…" Kureto glared at Guren.

"Especially the younger one. What was his name? Yuuichiro? He is less human than the blonde boy. One look at him and you can tell he is….opposite of us," he said.

"And what do you intend to do exactly?" without question, Guren knew what they were intending on doing with both of them. This, was the main reason he had adopted them and given them immunity through diplomacy – to keep both Mika and Yuu far away from the clutches of the Hiragi family – and now that they were asking for them, he could finally put that into effect.

"We would naturally, run experiments. I am curious as to _what_ the green eyed boy is, and if his brother happens to be like him then that is all the foothold we need to learn more about what can be done with them and whatever power they can use," General Hiragi said.

"Excuse me? With that knowledge you expect me to hand them both over for you to toy with? I think not!" Guren narrowed his eyes at Kureto who smirked.

"They aren't humans, therefore, they are not worth our compassion Ichinose. Or did you forget that when Mahiru threw away her humanity?" Shinya shot the man a withered glare.

"You have our dear sister to thank for our ability to kill the vampires. She knew the risks, and _willingly sacrificed herself._ Perhaps you forgot that Kureto?" Shinya snarled.

"I beg your pardon Shinya I haven't forgotten, and I think it would do you good too…" Guren coughed.

"Please keep in mind, both Mikaela and Yuuichiro Hyakuya are under my protection. Even those above you were smart enough to know when to keep certain things out of your clutches. And those boys are to remain out of your clutches. They are humans as much as anything with emotions is. Your hedonistic choices are nothing if not befitting beasts…." Kureto glowered at him again.

"Do you know what your stating Ichinose? They're weapons! The vampires have toyed with them so much they aren't even humans anymore! We should use them as a means to put a stop to this. Two sacrifices are nothing compared to…" Shinya rounded on the man and a swift backhand was brought across Kureto's face startling the lot of them as the pale blonde shot a withering glare at his older brother.

"You are a sniveling quim! Your outrageous demands to extinguish two human lives is abhorred. I am disgusted to call myself a Hiragi. We are supposed to exemplify chance and change, not war and dishonor of our own. Both of those boys have lost their entire families, they had the distasteful luxury of getting to watch it happen – surely you have some sympathy in your heart still brother, or do you forget how greatly Mahiru's death affected Shinoa and the person you once called your friend?" General Hiragi shot Shinya a long look.

"We do not speak of Mahiru or Shinoa any longer Shinya. They both are none of our concern any longer," he said. Shinya gathered his papers.

"You have missed the point. I prefer Guren's plan to sitting here twiddling our thumbs or better yet, extorting two teenage boys for our own selfish desires. Save me the long winded rant father, Shinoa is being governed by Guren and Sayuri, but she is still _your daughter._ Excuse me, I have something to attend to." with that Shinya left and Guren stood.

"Where are you going?" General Hiragi looked at Guren who shrugged.

"It's a lost cause to even bother with trying to allow you to gain more of what you originally set out to do. So, I'll take my leave. Tokyo and all those other wonderful cities can go to waste and be overrun by whatever may be out there." Guren headed for the door and General Hiragi sighed.

"Wait a moment Lieutenant Colonel, at what point did you have in mind for this Raid?" the General asked. Guren smirked internally.

"November twentieth, twenty-twenty. We can spend the month before clearing out the surrounding cities." The General hummed in thought.

"You cannot be serious!" demanded Kureto.

"I am….this is…actually a very well thought out plan. I believe this will do best at that point….I also would like to know something about those boys of yours Ichinose," he said. Guren looked to him.

"Yes sir?" the man frowned.

"How old are they?" Guren smiled a bit.

"Fourteen sir. Why?" the General looked him over.

"Do you believe they would be prepared for the Moon Demon Company when they turn sixteen?" Guren hummed in thought.

"To be blunt sir, they would be ready now if they could work well with others besides each other. Their problem is they do not trust other people willingly, and earning Mikaela's trust is fairly decent in ease, but with Yuuichiro…he tends to be much harsher around others, and has only in the last year become more at ease around people in general." The General nodded.

"I figured as much…very well. You may go," he said and Guren bowed.

"Thank you for your time sir." With that he left and began walking down the hall with a straight face. However, internally, he could have been one of the happiest men alive.

" _I just freaking scored! I can't believe that worked! Thank you Shinya and your impromptu slandering of the Hiragi pride! I owe you a drink….and as for Yuu and Mika…I'm going to make those Hiragi swine bow when I get those two capable of using the Black Demon Series. Put that in your pipe and smoke it arrow brows!"_

 **{Tokyo 20** **th** **Ward, Anteiku: 11:35am}**

Today, was the beginning of a long discussion of what to do with the humans that were in Shibuya and Shinjuku. Needless to say, their first attempt at learning about them was not only their first, but their last. None of them found it worth risking their lives over, and decidedly chose to remain in Tokyo for hunting grounds. However, there was an underlying concern in that plan – what if the humans _chose to invade Tokyo_? And thus, they were now gathered in the upstairs lounge area discussing the topic with caution in their tones and discontent in their eyes.

"We should have a plan in mind in the event that we have to either combat them or hide without being detected," Touka stated as she looked at the others while settle next to Kaneki who was taking in the conversation.

"I agree with that plan. I just don't think combating them is the wisest of choices. I mean, that one guy and girl beat the hell out of you both." The blue haired female frowned.

"I'm aware of that Nishiki, but that's not what I'm worried about. We don't know what their weapons are and because of that, we can't even plan around them," she said bluntly.

"What about enacting the same tactics that were used against the CCG?" everyone looked at Hide.

"Seriously? Would that work?" asked Ayato.

"It could, and all the ghouls and humans know how to avoid the CCG – treat them as if they were CCG members with Quinque – and go from there." The group fell silent.

"That would work best. Those were situations full of escape and battle plans. We can even use V-fourteen to escape if we have too, but just avoiding them will be best. We've lived in this city for almost four years now, and we can work our way through any of it like it's apart of us. If they enter the city we can outwit them easier than combating them," Kaneki stated.

"V-fourteen is dangerous though. Didn't you say that around seven Ghouls got cornered from Aogiri when you split off from them during the Raid?" Kaneki nodded at that.

"That's true, but Arima isn't around right now, and I highly doubt he'll rear his head any time soon seeing as the CCG has stayed underground for now….all the same V-fourteen is an ideal place to get out of this ward easiest without being spotted. We'll have to think of several escape routes and Kimi will stay with Nishiki, and I'll send Hide with Irimi while Hinami and Ayato are together and Touka and I will stick together," he said.

"In the mean time we should also train with one another so we can learn how each other moves if we aren't used to them. On top of that the humans need to learn how we move in combat so they can work with us." The group nodded.

"Do we really have a plan?" asked Hinami.

"Not really, but it's a good base." An odd silence filled the area where they were settled.

"Hey, is it just me or is it strangely quiet outside?" questioned Ayato.

The group looked to him before peering out of the window only to find the city having turned white on a dull gray backdrop. The silence, had come from a heavy snowfall that had left them all dead silent as they pulled back the blinds and looked at the downpour of white flakes. Hinami smiled as she looked out the window with the others and Kaneki felt a faint knot form in his chest at the image of the city. It looked like a wasteland out of a very strange dream blanketed in white, with ruined buildings and a steel gray sky. Glassy and opaque in appearance. Touka stepped back while Kimi asked if they could go outside for a bit. Irimi watched the two as Ayato was drug out with Hinami, Kimi, and Nishiki and Hide chose to stay downstairs and watch. It was nice that for once everything was fairly calm, but how long would it last? What would happen? Irimi eyed the two that were now settled on the sofa nearest to the window and she sighed.

"You two look tired," she said. Touka glanced up to her as Kaneki leaned his head against the top of hers and she smiled a bit.

"I guess so…" Touka snuggled up to the white haired boy and Irimi looked at the two of them.

"Who would have guessed this would be how the two of you ended up huh? I mean, you hated his guts when you first met him," Irimi stated as she took a seat across from them.

"I didn't hate him, I hated how passive he was…" Touka felt the other lean against her and glanced up to see Kaneki was sound asleep. Irimi said nothing as Touka moved him a bit to lay his head in her lap and play with his hair a bit while she leaned back into the sofa and listened to the comfortable silence that had encased the area.

"I suppose so. But honestly, who would have thought the little bookworm who was tossed into this world would end up becoming so powerful, and so different," she told her and all Touka did was look down.

"It's not the easiest of things if I look back on it. You know what scared me the most? When he saved me from Ayato and looked down at me….I had to ask if it was even him because I wasn't sure anymore. I feel stupid about that now," Touka said as she ran her fingers through his hair gently.

"He seems to like that." Touka rolled her eyes.

"He loves it. Sometimes he's like a damn cat," she said as she brushed his bangs from his eyes.

"Are you two doing okay though? Since November?" Touka nodded.

"Yea, we're fine. I guess we're being more careful in some ways but I guess that's not the easiest of things either…Kaneki is still anxious about some of the chances, but I told him if that happened it was just meant to and there's nothing to be done about it," she stated. Irimi smiled.

"So, who seduces who exactly?" Touka went blood red.

"That's not funny Irimi," she hissed.

"No, I'm serious! He's never been a bad looking guy and once he shaped up a bit he became quite the interest for you didn't he? Once he learned how to fight, and got to where he could hold his own you were impressed….admit it." Touka rolled her eyes as she grazed the area under his right eye with her thumb.

"He's always been interesting to me, even when I couldn't stand him…he offered me comfort and compassion when not even the others would dare. He stood up against the Manager when I was reckless after Hinami's mother died, and he did things that even I was scared to do. He got through to a CCG member, and opened him up to who we really are and what this is like for us…he's pretty amazing," she said.

"Yea, he is, so are all the others here though." Irimi smiled as Touka brushed her finger tips lightly against his cheek and ghosted the end of her first finger against his bottom lip.

"I wonder who your kid would look like more. You or Kaneki?" Touka shrugged.

"I honestly don't care when that point comes as long as that child is healthy and happy." Irimi smiled before she stood and came to Touka, only to place a hand atop her head and lean down before hugging her.

"You and Kaneki will be great parents. Just you wait, now, I'm going to get some things ready to warm up the snow bunnies out there so they don't freeze to death," Irimi said as she left. Touka smiled as she looked down at the sleeping boy in her lap and sighed.

"What are we going to do with them huh Kaneki?"

 **{5:09pm: Shibuya}**

Sayuri smiled nervously as Guren looked at the two boys near her who looked bedraggled and exhausted. He wondered momentarily, what had happened when he left earlier, but decided he didn't exactly want to know right then. Mika had bruises in places across his arm and other areas while Yuu looked as if he was ready to strangle someone. The blonde inched away from the smaller boy and Guren got the details from their body language.

"What exactly happened?" Sayuri glanced at the two boys.

"I'm not entirely sure, but apparently Mika swatted you in the head with the bokken and the next thing I knew he was laughing about something and Yuu got mad at him," she said.

"More like became the Grim Reaper…God you're menacing…." Yuu sent an unamused glare at his brother.

"I'll show you just how grim I can be if you don't shut up Mika!" the blonde winced and Guren shook his head.

"Why am I not surprised that you pissed him off? I've had full grown adults, and not to mention s _easoned veterans_ flinch away from him in the mornings because of his aggression. And you just had to go and test the waters didn't you Mika?" the blonde glanced at his brother who still appeared ready to spit fire.

"Um….not intentionally…." Guren shrugged.

"Okay then, we'll address this problem later. Go get cleaned up and patched up – after that get some rest and I'll see you both here in the morning for training – now scram!" the two walked away with Mika staying a decent distance away from his brother while Sayuri laughed in a tense manner.

"That wasn't what I was imagining when you mentioned Yuu having a bad temper," she said.

"You don't know the half of it. He's dangerous sometimes…Mika looks like he's been pushed down a steep hill with rocks at the bottom. Nothing's broken right?" Sayuri shook her head.

"Yuu checked him over after he fell down the hill trying to get away from him. He wasn't that badly injured, but he did get bashed over the head for being an idiot who ran down the hill to fast. Apparently Yuu can be quite mature when he chooses too," she mentioned.

"No, Mika just knew his life was at risk and ran for it. Hell, if I ever got on his bad side I would duck and cover also." Guren sighed and Sayuri looked down.

"Speaking of which….his eyes…Guren….Yuu's eyes changed color," she said. At that Guren blinked and then groaned.

"Well fuck….we've got a lot of paperwork ahead of us tonight Sayuri." The brunette woman sighed.

"Language Lieutenant Colonel…"

 **{Guren's residence: 5:45pm}**

"OW!" Yuu rolled his eyes at his brother as he dabbed some of the cuts he'd received earlier that day.

"And you're supposed to be the older one right?" Mika frowned at that.

"It's not my fault you decided to use me as a crash test dummy," he said.

"Yea well…next time watch where you're going when you decide to act like the devil is on your heels." Mika gave him a once over as Yuu continued to treat some of the cuts on his arms.

"Oh he was….your scary when you act like that you know? And also…OUCH! SADIST!" Yuu gave him a sadistic smirk.

"Watch it Mika ~" the strange sing-song tone sent a chill up his spine.

"Your creepily abnormal you know that?" the black haired teen shrugged.

"Define creepily abnormal will you?" the blonde sighed.

"Alright, you have me there. As it is we're both in that category huh?" Mika asked.

"I guess so….that Psychometric gift probably plays into how off we are around normal humans so…" Mika eyed his brother momentarily as he continued to tend to his wounds and wrap them.

Yuu had always been a tiny thing for his age, but he had made up for it in speed and agility. However, Mika always felt obligated to keep an eye on him for the mere reason that he felt horrible when he got hurt and something could have been done about it on his part. Sapphire blue eyes watched as the emerald eyed fourteen year old tended to a small laceration on his side that was mingled with several bruises. Despite his hot temper and snarky comebacks Yuu had a strangely comforting energy around him, and his motions were also remarkably gentle. In accordance to that he had an uncanny knack for medicine and healing that had always dumbfounded him to no end. How could someone be so hot and bothered half the time with such a stubborn streak it made a mule look easy to deal with, and still somehow be so compassionate and gentle – let alone soothing and capable of healing – but never get along well with others? Mika sighed as he let Yuu finish with his side and reached out to ruffle the other boy's black hair.

"Mika? Is something wrong?" the blonde shook his head.

"No, I was just thinking I need to take a look at that bruise I gave you earlier and…." Mika brushed his brother's bangs out of the way and gaped in shock.

"What's wrong?" the boy blinked up at him with eerily intelligent eyes that confused him even now. Ever since he'd known Yuu the boy had the same piercing gaze that made you feel vulnerable – almost as if he was looking at the soul instead of the person.

"Nothing, I just thought you had a bruise there earlier," Mika said. The other gave him a knowing look.

"Psychometric abilities include excelorated healing Mika….its fine…." To that the blonde sighed.

"I figured, but it is strange…" Yuu stood up and packed away his things before looking at his brother.

"Yea, but it's not as rare as Abjure or Naturopathic abilities so at least Guren was able to tell me what this entails so far…." Mika stretched a bit and eyed his brother.

"Come on, let's get something to eat and go to sleep okay? It's been a long day…" Yuu nodded.

"Go on, and I'll be right there – I need to finish putting these things up." Mika sighed.

"Okay, don't do too much you look tired," he said as he left the room. Yuu paused and looked down as he let his bangs hide his eyes.

"Mika, I wish I could tell you what we are….you know that we're….not humans right? That….we're….monsters of some kind…here I am a healer that has to hide because it's so unnatural…hehe…we're absolutely pathetic aren't we?"

 **{…..}**

 _It's my will with all my might…_

 **{…..}**

Author's Note: And there's 18. This is the only chapter that is set in 2019. All chapters after this are set in 2020 during the days leading up to the November 20th 2020 Tokyo Raid. Now, we get to see the Ghoul's point of view on Guren and the others!

6 chapters are left! Apparently, I miscounted the other day.

Preview:

It was cold again, colder than normal, but there was a reason for that they supposed. Kaneki sighed as he looked at Ayato who was next to him watching the scene before them. several days now the humans had come around and were now setting up camp and preparing for the one thing that the Ghouls had been concerned about for nearly two years, and that alone worried them. Kaneki glanced the area over and spotted the man from two years ago and knew that this meant either they had finally met their end or they were about to be given a new hope.

"Kuro-Usagi?" the blue haired boy looked at him.

"Yea Eye-Patch? The white haired ghoul eyed the people below.

"Let's see if they want to talk this time okay?" the other nodded slowly.

"Worth a shot right?" the white haired eighteen year old nodded.

"Yea..."

Chapter 19: Reaching Hands


	19. Chapter 19: Reaching Hands

Chapter 19: Reaching Hands

 **{Shibuya: October 28** **th** **, 2020, 10:45pm}**

Guren eyed the area around them in discontent as he looked at the shadow of Tokyo City in questioning. Two years ago he had ran into a pair of Kyushu that had left him curious and ever so slightly concerned. If, by some fortunate happening he was right about where they had come from then he would encounter them again soon. His attention was turned as he looked at Sayuri who now was standing with him as they waited for his unit to gather for their meeting at the truck that was serving as shelter for the sudden snow front that had come in.

"You're thinking about the Kyushu aren't you?" Guren sighed at that.

"Never could exactly hide anything from you could I Sayuri? I get it's probably not the greatest of ideas, but I think it's a good move on our part to go to the city and see if we can get the help we need from them," he explained.

"Still, they may be dangerous and we might not be able to confront them this time….that was two years ago…." He nodded.

"They've gotten stronger without question, but….this is important. If we want to combat the Noble in Tokyo City then we need to be prepared for what may come. Also, I don't want to send in anyone without knowing what we're facing and that also includes Yuu, Mika, and Akane as well as the others with them…" Sayuri nodded.

"Alright, come on, the others are waiting."

Guren began mapping out his plan as they walked to meet the others in hopes of finding a way to deal with the details involved in the Raid. Without question, this wasn't going to be the easiest of their battles, but it would work out somehow as it had before. His mind wandered to Yuu and the others and hoped they were well and safely coming back from Osaka. It had been a big risk in sending them there with Kureto in Nagoya and Shinya in Hamamatsu which put Kureto closer to them than the other, and put Guren on edge. If at any point a single Hiragi other than Shinoa dared laid a hand on either of his three children he would happily skin them alive and send them to the great beyond. Sayuri remained silent while Guren contemplated the sudden disappearance of a certain person and hoped that he wasn't plotting someone's demise again as they finally made it to the area where the others were present and awaiting their arrival. Guren sighed as he looked at the others.

"Glad you're all alive still," he said.

"Yea, well, this weather might have something to say about that." Goshi yawned as Guren eyed them all in their already tired states.

"I agree with you on that one, but this isn't about the current condition of our troops in the sudden weather change, this is about something else. We're about to set up a full scale assault upon Tokyo," Guren stated.

"W-What are you talking about? Raid Tokyo?" the man smiled broadly.

"Yep, and if we're lucky we'll have some inside help," he informed them of this and Goshi sighed before smiling.

"Alright, what you got for us?" Guren cleared his throat and looked them over.

"We'll begin the Tokyo Raid in November twentieth at sundown. Everything will be more active at that point and easier to get too instead of getting caught by it within any of their lairs," said Guren. The others gaped momentarily.

"What about….those things that we've heard reports about?" the dark haired Lieutenant Colonel smirked.

"I am sending Yuu and the others to that area to check on the rumors," he answered.

"Guren! Those are just kids! I know that Yuu and Mika can use some of their Seraphic abilities and their Psychometric users but if the Kyushu…." Guren gave Mito a look. It was as he did this that his eyes caught two images out of the corner of his eyes while he contemplated what exactly he was seeing.

"I don't think they're hostile….in fact, two of them are watching us right now," the group glanced around and he tilted his head in the direction of a tower.

All eyes averted towards the shadowy forms on the roof tops where Guren was staring. He knew, without question, that it was two of the Kyushu and had high hopes for what was to come at that point. He took in a deep breath and tried to work out the details of what he would do now. Sighing he took out his binoculars and tried to focus on them before taking a picture as best he could.

"Did you take a picture with those things?" he nodded at Sayuri.

"Sure did….for being out here for four years…..their little tactics are impressive that much is certain," Guren said.

"Tactics?" Goshi frowned a bit as Guren looked to them.

"The Kyushu aren't interested in harming us unless we harm them, then they will seek to attack….the ones who are supposed to reside in the twentieth zone of Tokyo are relatively peaceful unless provoked….right now those two are weighing in if we're a threat or not…..hmmmm….."

His mind slowly worked up a finer detailed plan on what would actually work at this point to manage conversation with the two people who were watching them with clear interest. He glanced at the others and then back at the two forms with intent in his motions as he looked at the area before him with a plan in mind.

"I WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE TWO OF YOU! I'LL COME ALONE IF YOU WISH JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT PLAN!"

A motion was given and soon the two forms began to move. He knew outright asking for them to come and help would more than likely backfire, but he figured it was better than not trying. The figures slowly but surely started to descend the towers before landing in the shadows. Without question, he decided that from this moment on, things were going to be much more interesting.

 **{October 28** **th** **2020 7:09am, Anteiku, 4 hours earlier…}**

"Touka….Touka….Touka-chan…" blue eyes blearily glanced up into silvery-brown ones as a small, and warm smile graced gentle features.

"What do you want idiot?" he smiled.

"Just getting you up. We have hunting to do today," Kaneki said as Touka rolled over a bit and snuggled into the comforter.

"I don't want to…" he sighed as he brushed her bangs from her face.

"Well, Ayato is going with me, and Nishiki is tagging with Irimi today so we'll be putting you and Hinami together. She's excited to go with you so be happy and get yourself moving. We need to be back by sunset and I want us to actually enjoy the day," he stated as she stretched and looked out the window.

"It's early huh?"

"Yea, go on and get dressed. I'll see you downstairs.." Touka eyed him as he grabbed his mask off the desk in her room and slowly she stood before grabbing the back of the shirt he wore over the battle suit.

"Is everything okay? You look tired…" he paused and glanced down.

"I guess I'm just tense….it feels odd today," he said as she stood up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"This is almost been four years since that day….just a few more weeks…." He nodded.

"Seems insane doesn't it? Four years…..we've not been able to find Koma, or Tsukiyama, Banjo and the others….they've all disappeared…." Touka bit her lip as she buried her face into his back.

"We're never going to find them are we?" he sighed.

"I don't know honestly….Touka….you should get dressed, you'll catch your death…" she shook her head.

"Sorry….I just…" he nodded again as he turned and placed his hands on her bare shoulders before rubbing gentle circles on the soft skin there.

"Touka, don't apologize for feeling a bit sad about losing part of your family. Its fine…all of us feel sad about losing them." she nodded and rested her head against his chest.

"I feel like I've dreamed this dream to many times…and now I'm living it…" he wrapped an arm around her and rested his head atop hers.

"Get dressed and come down stairs with me so we can get going." Touka nodded as she grazed his sides with her nails, just barely feeling the soft fabric that made up the form fitting attire under the half-pants and shirt he wore.

"We can move on from this right? We can have some sort of a normal life." To that Kaneki smiled as he brushed her bangs from her eyes.

"Are you okay though? I mean…" she nodded.

"I'll be fine. There was a risk with that kind of stuff going on….and we knew it…" he brushed her hair away again.

"I'm sorry…" she nodded and bit her lip as she rested her head on his chest.

"Maybe in a bit of time it'll be okay? And things will smooth over…" he nodded as he pulled her into his arms and took in a deep breath.

"It will, so don't worry. I promise…" she nodded and felt her eyes burn a bit.

"Go on down, and I'll be there soon okay?" he nodded and kissed her forehead before walking out, leaving her to her thoughts and the deafening silence of the room.

Touka got out her clothes and began to get dressed for the day's events. Things had been fairly calm recently, and it was relieving to say the least. However, things didn't exactly go as smooth as they'd hoped, and the peace they'd gotten over the last several months since January of that year. Hinami was excelling in her training and was able to keep up with her at this point, but had trouble tagging Kaneki most of the time. Nishiki and Kimi were assisting more in training as were Hide and Irimi. Ayato was much more lax about their relationship and things had been going well, and then, she'd had something happen that crushed her. Touka paused to look at herself as she held the black tank top just above her waist and felt her eyes burn again as she tugged it down and grabbed her turtle neck long sleeve shirt and tugged it on before going to her bed to sit down and put on her boots. She paused as she took in a deep breath as she brushed her hair away from her face.

It made her feel weak, and hurt, but worst of all it made her hate this world even more. She didn't have anyone but the vampires to blame for what happened, and for that she felt a rage settle in her veins to see them die in the most horrific of ways. She took in a deep breath and put her boots on before looking at the floor in dismay. Touka knew getting a grip on her emotions would be vital from this point onward, but she couldn't help but be said even if it had been over a month ago. Back in September, things had been going more than great for all of them, and then she'd noticed something odd about her clothing again. Irimi had checked it out for her and confirmed her suspicions. By some strange fate she had ended up not having another scare, but actually being right. She was pregnant, and three or so months along. It had gone over surprisingly well with Ayato, and he had been _happy for her_ , and excited about being an uncle. All of the people with them were looking forward to the day when they'd have a connection to raise a child as an actual family. Things had been fine, perfect even, and then they'd been attacked.

Nothing should have surprised her there, but it did and the fight had turned into a full scale war. Kaneki had been hurt badly, Hide had been wounded in his left leg and though he was healed, it still had put him out for a bit, Nishiki, Kimi, Irimi, and Hinami had gotten out of it with the least amount of wounds, but they were still in bad shape. Ayato was no better, and Touka, she had been hit in the stomach and thrown far too much. Ultimately she had miscarried because of the damage she'd suffered. It had taken them all awhile to overcome that hurtle, and though their physical wounds had been painful, that loss was excruciating and had dealt more emotional damage than anything they'd gone through. Now, they were all mending that hole over time and Kaneki had been there to support her when she'd woken up from nightmares and cried for hours. At this point she was merely trying to build up her emotional state until she was able to handle the situation better. If she ever could that is.

 **{Downstairs: 7:30am)**

"Hey, is she okay?" asked Ayato as Kaneki leaned against the wall. These days they were all exhausted - Kaneki more so than others - and they all understood why.

"She's okay today it seems….but she's had better days. She actually didn't cry for once." He looked down as the others remained silent.

"That's going to take her a long time to get over. She's to shaken up by it," Kimi stated.

"I know, I just wish I could do more for her. I failed to keep her safe when she needed me to and now I don't know what to do…" Hide held his tongue on this one. Without question his friend was also affected by this as much as Touka had been, but it had still left all of them gobsmacked. How could they help? What could they do to console them? Anything? No, because none of them had experienced this situation before.

"Just be there for her, and support her. Maybe when this world gets turned around you two can try again…" Nishiki trailed off, unsure if this was the best thing to speak about.

"Maybe…." A shuffle of footsteps was heard and they looked to see Touka walking down the stairs and moving towards Kaneki. She took his hand and leaned against him which nearly knocked him off balance. The others remained silent for a moment as he placed a hand atop her head and looked to the side unsure of what to do for her.

"Should we talk about where we're going today?" offered Kimi.

"Yea, we're splitting up into groups. Ayato and I will be going towards Yokohama to investigate a few things that's been going on there since earlier this month. Kimi you and Nishiki are staying together and Irimi I'm trusting you with Hide. Touka is taking Hinami hunting while the rest of you gather supplies. We'll try to do the same on our way back from Yokohama." The group nodded.

"After four years, the humans finally get some action!" Hide said with a broad grin. Touka smiled at his candor while she remained close to the white haired ghoul who was keeping a hand on the small of her back. It was nice to have a reassuring touch every so often.

"Right, so, what do we need?" Kimi stepped up at that.

"The usual supplies will be all we need for now. Medicine if you can find any that's got a long shelf-life, water, food, those kinds of things. Even stale products can be reused to some extent as long as they're not so out of date that they're toxic," she said.

"Got it…um…anything else?" the others thought for a moment but couldn't come up with anything exactly.

"I guess we'll go from there and then wait two days and get anything we've forgotten," Ayato stated.

"Alright then, Ayato, and myself will leave from the roof. Hide and Irimi are taking the back alley way. Kimi and Nishiki have the side exit. And Touka and Hinami are taking the roof as well for the other side of Tokyo." The others nodded and Touka took in a deep breath as she stood straight and the others waited on the next set of instructions.

"If there's nothing more to talk about we should get going before it's too late in the day," said Nishiki as he grabbed Kimi and they headed for their exit.

Both pulled up their masks as they exited the building and Irimi nodded as he ushered Hide towards the back as they pulled on their own masks and were out the door. Hinami grabbed Touka's hand and Ayato nodded to Kaneki as they left. Once on the roof top Touka and Hinami were the first to leave and after a few minutes both Kaneki and Ayato darted away from the building as fast as possible before heading towards Yokohama. As they ran Ayato looked at the Ghoul next to him in faint discontent. None of his dislike had to do with the recent situation, but more of the fact that he had to watch two people he cared for as family – one being an actual family member – suffer through something as bad as that. He'd heard people talk on the streets, saying they'd never wish losing a child on their worst enemy and he had understood that completely.

However, when it came to that moment when Touka had screamed and scared all of them to a degree that it felt like it has shaved about six years off their lives Ayato had known - just as he had known Kaneki knew - what she was screaming about. Seeing it though had been the worst, and for some reason none of them could get to her, and even when she allowed Kaneki to come into the room with her it was only to pull her up into his arms and take her to get cleaned up. She had lost a lot of blood, and gotten sick, she had a fever for a week, and then she slipped into depression. Irimi did her best to keep Hinami from seeing Touka in that state but even Kaneki couldn't stop her and the girl had only crawled into the bed with Touka and snuggled up to her. Ayato had gone in to check up on her and ended up finding the three of them sound asleep with Hinami between Touka and Kaneki. If Ayato could count the times he had been truly grateful in his life that moment would be his first account of it, because he had never been more grateful in his entire existence for that little girl and for a certain white haired Ghoul.

" _If it wasn't for Hinami though, I doubt even Kaneki could have pulled her out of it….and all this time….we were worried about keeping him stable. At that moment she needed it more than anyone else ever could."_

His mind wandered back to before that point and he could only smile. When he had heard Touka talking to Irimi and Kimi he had been floored to hear it. Touka was going to be a mother, and she was nearly in tears she was so happy. Ayato couldn't find it in him to be angry at Kaneki for being an idiot and not acting like he normally would have in those situations, nor at Touka for more than likely asking or even demanding it – he still couldn't see the boy taking the kind of incentive that his sister would – and knew that it was better for them if he was happy when he heard the news. Once Touka and told Kaneki though it was kind of hard to ignore the sudden stammering and confusion on some parts, and the fact that Touka yelled at him followed by him worrying over her health because of stress had been enough to tell the others e _xactly_ what was happening. He sighed as he thought about Hide laughing himself senseless when he realized that Touka was reaming his friend over worrying too much himself instead of their situation.

He wondered what would happen now though, because that happy moment had been very brief. It felt dreamlike and the aftereffects more like a nightmare than anything else. Too all of them those days when they wouldn't see or even hear Touka or Kaneki had become worrisome, and only Hinami could get into their room and talk to them. If they could have the group would have done anything to cheer Touka up and help Kaneki and Hinami pull her out of the nightmare she was in, but for the time being they couldn't. Ayato could only hope that in the coming months things would be better for her and the rest of them, because God if anyone else didn't need it, they did.

"Kuro-Usagi?" the other sighed at the name.

"Yea? What is it Eye-Patch?" the other tilted his head.

"We're here, and we've got company," he said. Ayato looked at the people below in shock.

"Those are those bastards from Shinjuku!" he peered over the building's roof for a moment.

"Yes, they are, but that's not the problem. What are they doing here?" he frowned as Kaneki looked at the others in discontent at the idea of dealing with them again.

"Maybe we can speak with them?" Ayato suggested.

"What? Since when are you the peace keeper?" to that the blue haired Ghoul rolled his eyes.

"Uhuh, so….what do you think they want?" he asked.

"To be honest I'm not sure. For all we know they could be finally raiding Tokyo or they could be searching for us. Maybe even both." Ayato leaned away from the other as he scanned the area with his visible eye.

"You're doing that creepy thing again…" he said as he kept a close watch Kaneki.

"What?" Ayato narrowed his eyes.

"That freaky Empathic thing Touka told me about. You start getting this calculated look in your eyes when you use it. It's weird…" he explained while the other shrugged.

"Thanks for the memo but…"

"I WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE TWO OF YOU! I'LL COME ALONE IF YOU WISH JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT PLAN!" they froze and looked at the black haired man waving his arms to get their attention.

"Well?" Ayato asked. Kaneki gave him a glance.

"That's a deep subject…" the blue haired Ghoul nearly fell over.

"You have a sucky sense of humor! Where the hell did you pick that up?" he asked as he steadied himself.

"Some of the Aogiri members had a very…sardonic sense of humor. I guess I picked it up…not intentionally mind you…however, what do you think we should do about him?" Ayato looked at him.

"Personally? If I could get away with it I wouldn't let them live, but I think we might be able to do something about this…life we have…what do you say?" Kaneki nodded.

"Might as well look into what they want."

The group below them watched as they made their way down the building and landed in the shadows prepared for a possible fight. After the last four years none of them were willing to play with fire, and decided to keep a close eye on one another as they waited for the others to make their move. Kaneki and Ayato had been able to land in the shadows and were able to keep their cover, but that hadn't made them feel much better. A brown haired female – the same one who had hurt Touka a year ago – gave them a once over as best they could while the black haired man remained forward while the others in his team remained slightly behind him awaiting an attack. Kaneki took in a deep breath as he glanced at Ayato who nodded faintly to assure him that he was waiting.

"What are you doing in Yokohama?" Ayato asked. The others looked slightly surprised by that. Kaneki put a hand on his shoulder when he stepped forward.

"We're planning on Raiding Tokyo." The black haired man's answer set them on edge. Their bodies tensing and eyes narrowing in agitation.

"What are your intentions?" Kaneki questioned. His mask muffled his tone just enough to keep them from accusing him of his age being a factor or them having some comment to make on it.

"To destroy the Noble Hans Weisberg and his troop, the Four Horseman of John, werewolves, and anything else that's crawled out of the shadows since the virus hit Tokyo four years ago." The two of them were unsurprised by that factor seeing as they'd dealt with the Noble's men two years ago. But, now they had a name to put with the person. Kaneki moved forward slightly with Ayato guarding him from behind.

"The Vampire Noble?" he wanted to get his facts straight, that much he needed to be positive of. Whether or not they were talking about the same vampire would depend on this man's answer.

"Yes, we are the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, it's our mission to destroy vampires and restore the world to the human race and to those who deserve a place in this world." The man's answer had Ayato hissing like an angry feline.

"They're no better than _them_! Eye-Patch!" Kaneki thanked the stars that the other had remembered to call him by his old CCG nickname.

"Eye-Patch hmm? Is that what they call you?" the man questioned. Kaneki locked his sight on him.

"There's no reason for us to use our given names when we're on the battlefield. I am certain that you understand that we too have loved ones to protect." The man nodded at that in understanding.

"Yes, but listen….I have to ask – the two of you are Kyushu correct?" he inquired.

"We are, but we protect humans as well….you wish to ask us a favor am I right?" Kaneki's rebounded question served its purpose.

"I have just a few questions, the first is how many of you are there?" he questioned calmly.

"There's seven of us. Myself, Kuro-Usagi, Usagi, Yoshi, Cho, Hebi, and Verglas." Kaneki was quick to answer, but made the choice to leave Irimi out of the count for the sake of leaving a surprise in the wings if needs be.

"I see….I would like to send seven people around your age group to come and assist with helping in the Raid. We want to get Tokyo back, can the Kyushu help us with this?" the black haired man probed with this question and Kaneki relented a bit.

"Eye-Patch! They're humans, they'll just skin us and do what those others did before the collapse!" Ayato snapped this at him in warning, but Kaneki chose to listen to his instincts. They hadn't been wrong yet, and he wasn't going to ignore them now of all times.

"Kuro-Usagi….please, let me consider this – it's not wise to look at this as only a bad outcome….we have to consider these things with others in mind," he said to placate the other. Ayato grumbled.

"Please, I cannot send in those people without your word that you'll help them, and us take Tokyo back." Kaneki looked at the man.

He had gotten into a fight with him a year two years ago, but he had also not gotten a good look at him. This Lieutenant Colonel was surprisingly confident in this group of seven he was sending in, and it eased his nerves a bit. Never, had he seen a human look so confident in the presence of a Ghoul. Not even the CCG had been that calm around one of their kind before. He smiled a bit beneath his mask and decided to hear the man out. Sensing this, Ayato cleared his throat to ask the next question.

"These seven people…..are they part of your precious ones?" the man nodded.

"Yes, three of them are my children and the others may as well be – none of them had a family before coming to us…the vampires took everything from them," he said. That was something they both understood perfectly. The vampires had taken before and most recently took from them again. The two looked at one another before nodding in agreement.

"What do you want us to do?" the man sighed in relief.

"I need you to assist them in clearing the twentieth zone out and meet us closer to the center of the city in the first zone. Please, I would be grateful if you would assist us, all of you know this city better than we do and can fight the creatures as well…." To that Ayato frowned.

"I don't like this…." Kaneki shoved the other knowing that he could request a few ground rules, but nearly knocked the other over he'd hit him so hard.

"I need your word on a few things. Two of our family are humans….but we need protection for us in general, also, we need your word that we won't be killed after we've helped, lastly, we want you to take us back to Shibuya where you came from….we'll do what we have to, but we need those conditions met otherwise we cannot help you, but we will defend our zone," he said. Ayato stared at him wide eyed.

"You have my word, protection, shelter, and safety – your group can have all those things especially if you were to join the part of the Army I'm in control of." The two of them seemed a bit apprehensive at this and with good reason. Militaristic factions weren't the greatest of memories for either of them.

"And that would be?" asked Ayato.

"The Moon Demon Company, I've got some plans for some future units that you could be a part of. All I ask is that you help us and I will see to it that you're all safe." The two went silent.

"When will you enter the city?" asked Kaneki. The man kept himself calm.

"November twentieth – two weeks – we have people coming from other areas that are Moon Demon Company….I will personally see to it that they know not to harm any Kyushu in the area that identify with your group. Until you arrive in Zone one with the group I'm sending to help you get there, we can do no more." The two were satisfied with that answer.

"The group we're with is Antique – just remember what you promised," stated Kaneki. This time the name of Anteiku would remain censored until further notice.

"Thank you….." the two of them paused.

"One more thing, your name – I'd like to know whom I'm helping," said Kaneki.

"I am Lieutenant Colonel, Guren Ichinose of the Moon Demon Company, Japanese Imperial Demon Army. I appreciate your help Eye-Patch." The two nodded despite knowing that the Lieutenant Colonel could barely see them.

"Very well, we will be awaiting the move on November twentieth at sundown," Kaneki told him as they took off.

"Did we just get….the Kyushu to help us?" Kaneki and Ayato kept moving away from the group to prepare for the day they had just agreed to.

For some reason, they felt secure in the words that the Lieutenant Colonel had promised them. It made near no sense for them to agree to this, but it was worth it. If things went the right way they had just been promised a good future where they were safe, and could have a little bit of peace. Touka needed that, so did all of them at this point. Kaneki and Ayato headed back to Anteiku with some rather interesting news for the others, and for the first time in a while, hope budding in them.

 **{….}**

 _To stay strong, put up a fight…_

 **{…}**

Author's Note: Okay, here's chapter 19. We've hit 60 reviews! Keep them coming guys. I love your comments!

I won't blab, onto the next!

Preview:

The news, without question was spectacular. Finally, they had a life ahead of them, and they could exist in something more than a day to day trial of wits and survival. However, there was something that was indeed a catch, and that was trying to survive November twentieth, twenty-twenty. Could they do it? Possibly, could they do it and work with people they'd never seen fight? Maybe. It was all up to them now.

"So, we're teaming up with the Japanese Imperial Demon Army?" asked Touka.

"Yes, they're giving us sanctuary in Shibuya in exchange." Hide put his arms behind his head and his feet on the table.

"Nice to see those tax dollars from four years ago finally kicking some blood sucker ass," he said.

"I figured you'd say that…" the blonde smirked.

"Well, it's also nice to see things are finally in transition," said Ayato. They nodded. It was finally time for a change of pace.

Chapter 20: Trust


	20. Chapter 20: Trust

Chapter 21: Raid

 **{Anteiku: November 12** **th** **, 2020, 7:01am}**

Yuuichiro Hyakuya had definite had better mornings. This one took first place since the start of the year, and he was more than willing to see this year end. He wanted to leave all the hardships behind, and the insanity that had come with it for just a brief stint if whatever cosmic force that decided to throw karma at innocent people let him have that. He groaned in frustration as yet another head rush made the room flip, and his throat decided it needed to be dry and scratchy as he breathed in to try and ease his tension. Shinoa had left to get something hot for them to drink while they waited for Guren to call for them to meet up, but honestly, he was beginning to feel as if he had been struck by lightning and needed the remaining time in the year to recover. He gulped in a deep breath of air as he felt an unsettling ache develop in his chest.

" _This is not good…I knew being so lax about this was a bad idea but damn it…I didn't think…."_

"Yuu! I'm back….I got some hot tea is that…." Shinoa stopped as she looked at him breathing hard as he was doubled over feeling unnaturally ill and faintly disoriented.

"Shinoa…" he glanced at her and she sat down the canisters she'd been given and walked over to him.

"What's wrong? Are you hurting?" she sat beside him and he felt a sharp pain rush through his head which forced him to clutch at the offending area as he took in another deep breath.

"Yea…I'm not sure….w-what brought it on t-though…" she eyed him as he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore what he knew was the cause of the sudden pain.

"It's the psychometric trait isn't it? You haven't been doing it enough have you?" he glanced to the side.

"If I can be honest….it scares me….what I'm capable of…" she felt a small knot form in her chest.

"Yuu, look at me…"

He glanced at her and she felt the knot in her chest grow tighter as his eyes changed color almost instantaneously. They went from the normal, beautiful and deep emerald to a sharp, cold electric green as the pupils slitted and she felt a tinge of grief fill her. This was still the same person, and just the fact that she had to reminder herself of that hurt. Taking in a deep breath Shinoa undid a few of the buttons on her jacket collar and moved it out of the way of her shoulder before looking at him as he averted his eyes.

"I know it hurts, and I know why it hurts…but please Yuu…I can't bear to see you like this…I don't want you in pain and I don't like seeing you suffering like you are now so…." He hissed at that.

"But you would have me become something inhuman…I'm not a human already Shinoa! I don't want to sacrifice anymore of the fragile bit of humanity I have left just because of something I have no choice but to appease…" she sighed at hearing those words.

"You know what I think a human is?" he glanced at her.

"What?" Shinoa smiled and reached out to him before cupping his face.

"I think it's in the manner you treat others, in the lengths one would go to protect something or someone precious to them. I think it's entirely about what you do to defend, to honor, to love, cherish, and appreciate what you may have be it big or small. I think humanity especially lies not in your race, your species, genetics, what you look like, talk like, dress like, or even what talents you possess…no…humanity isn't superficial or on the surface…it's here…" she placed a hand on his chest where his heart was and he blinked in realization.

If memory served him right, those words were the same ones he would had typically used to describe himself and others like him when it came to what their definition of humanity was. Yuu knew what Shinoa meant in saying that, and he had never been more thankful due to the fact that she had remembered and was able to recall those words, those simplistic words, to bring him back almost every time he felt the weight of it all cave on him. Shinoa smiled as he took in a shaky breath and she brushed her thumbs under his eyes.

"Now, let's get this under control and keep it that way so we can face this head on….okay?" he took in yet another unsteady breath and she pulled her jacket and shirt out of the way before the boy looked her in the eyes.

"I hate what I am….but at least you can help me stay together…I think you're the thread keeping me from falling to pieces….so thank you Shinoa…" she smiled as cool lips touched her shoulder followed by the brief sting of sharp teeth and blood flow.

"Its fine….I love you….I'll do anything I have to in order to save you…" she knotted her fingers in his hair and smiled as she closed her eyes.

" _Because even if you don't know it….your holding me together too Yuu..."_

 **{Anteiku: 7:00am}**

"Touka?" the blue haired girl looked at her brother as she tugged on her boots and grabbed her mask.

"What is it Ayato?" the teenager pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.

"Kaneki wanted to speak with you about the meet up today with Guren's unit he's sending in," he stated. She rose an eyebrow.

"Why?" he shrugged.

"To hell if I know…I just get the feeling he thinks it's important," he explained.

"Alright, I'm coming..." Touka hooked her mask over her head and let it hang around her throat before walking out of the room and towards where she knew Kaneki was waiting with the others.

Ayato was a bit ahead of her and as soon as she was downstairs with the others their conversation for the day's actions went into its planning phase. Touka placed her input on specific details as each group was given their directive while Kaneki and one other would be heading to the bridge that lead into Tokyo City to meet up with Guren Ichinose and the others. As the details came to a close Touka smiled as she listened to the jobs that were handed out. Kimi and Nishiki were heading into the left boarder of the city to check on a few supplies that they could gather, Irimi and Hinami would be going to the west to seek out vampires, and Ayato and Hide would be making a run for the central zone of Tokyo for recon. She smiled just a bit as Hide gave his friend a wide grin in excitement.

Since being bitten by a werewolf some three years ago – and she got the distinct feeling that her math was off – Hide had gained agility and a few other detailed abilities which allowed him to keep up with Ayato at the least. Kaneki had paired in with both Nishiki and Ayato in recent months and for that she was at least thankful to know that they had one more fighter on their side. However, knowing who was going where and with whom told Touka one thing.

"So, I'm going with you huh?" she asked the white haired ghoul.

"Yes, I need you to come with me this time because Ayato has gone the other times. At some point Nishiki will have to do this as well. Irimi is staying hidden in case we need a surprise." To that statement Irimi frowned.

"Which means you don't trust Guren and his units," she stated. Kaneki shook his head.

"Actually, that's not true. I do trust them, but I don't trust anyone else in the Moon Demon Company because I have not met them face to face." Hide smirked.

"You have to rely on that talent of yours to discern some of the finite details on people huh Kaneki?" the white haired ghoul shrugged.

"You could say that. Mainly, I just don't want to do something and regret it. I make sure I'm careful and I only trust those I've laid eyes on and even then they need to give me a direct reason to trust them." Ayato gave him a bland expression at that.

"That may be all true, but you trusted Aogiri Tree, Banjou, and not to mention you also put your faith in Anteiku! You blindly trust sometimes," he said. Kaneki laughed a bit at that.

"You honestly think after Rize I openly trusted people in the ghoul world or the human world?" Ayato gaped.

"What?" Kaneki nodded.

"I've never fully trusted anyone until they've given me reason to, and even then I've needed _several_ reasons to trust them….I know that may be hard to believe but even Hide had to win my trust over the course of a year and a half before I relied on him." Hide laughed.

"That's the truth. He was kind and we hung out, but unfortunately I was able to soon tell that he didn't trust me…man did I feel relieved when I was able to actually earn his trust!" he stated.

"So, no worries. I know what I'm doing." Ayato nodded.

"Okay, Touka? Help keep an eye on him and you do the same Kaneki," he said.

"Yea, got it!" however, none of them were quite sure what these upcoming events would do to change their lives.

 **{Bridge to Tokyo: 9:15am}**

After a rather intense and faintly stressful morning Guren and Sayuri lead Yuu, Shinoa, Mika, Mitsuba, Akane, Kimizuki, and Yoichi onto the bridge to meet up with Eye-patch and whomever he was bringing with him. At this point though, with them settled on the bridge Guren decided to inform them of protocol for their first encounter with the ghouls.

"I don't want anyone making any sudden movements, nor do I want you drawing your weapons when these two come," he stated this and the others blinked in surprise.

"Why? Are they dangerous?" he turned to look at the others who were tense awaiting the meet up to begin.

"We've come into an agreement with the Kyushu within Tokyo – the Antique group – is what they're called. Two of them, their leader I'm suspecting and one of the watchers came and spoke with us as the units were moving outwards from their areas….they've agreed to help us in exchange for sanctuary in Shibuya," he explained. The others became still at hearing that.

"What? You really came into some kind of agreement with the Kyushu? Are you serious?" Guren looked at Kimizuki and the others who seemed shocked.

"Yes, they're surprisingly civil – I know we've all heard the stories, reports and whatnot, but the two I met? They were nothing like the ones we've heard of," Guren informed them calmly.

"So we're meeting here on the highway?" he nodded.

"Eye-Patch said it was the best place to be because it was in the open and neither of us would feel closed in," another explanation and Mika looked at their group.

"There are twelve of us meeting two of them – I would consider that feeling closed in," he said.

"Normally I would come in person alone, but they need to meet the seven of you because I'm sending you to meet them half-way between ward twenty and ward one." The group sighed but nodded.

"Alright, did they say when they'd…." Yuu stilled, tensing as the others watched him and Mika – Shinoa felt her body tense as the sharp scent of something unfamiliar flooded her senses – and two figures hopped out of the window lower to the ground from one of the nearby buildings.

"I'm guessing their here…" muttered Akane as she watched the two figures approach.

Kaneki and Touka were steady as they made it closer to the group of twelve. It was nothing short of discomforting but they were more concerned with making the weapon wielding humans anxious than their own comfort. The last thing any of them needed were trigger happy teenagers. Touka kept her eyes focused on the others as they grew closer and she was able to make out the faces of the teens behind Guren. She saw three girls present, a blonde, a brunette, and a girl with periwinkle hair who stood straight and tall next to a black haired, emerald eyed teenager. Kaneki glanced to her and she nodded as she put her gaze back on the others as they were finally just shy of being where they needed to be.

Emerald eyes locked onto her alongside a pair of pale sapphire blue ones that allowed Touka to realized why Kaneki trusted these people when they'd observed them prior to actually meeting with them for the first time today. She saw the same things that he did – the struggles, will to survive, and determination to stand tall in the face of danger. Kaneki and Touka came close enough to where they heard one of the boys – the one with pink hair – swear as his form let off a tiny tremble of discomfort.

"Damn….." something about his eyes told both Ghouls that he was uncomfortable, and because of that Touka began to wonder how far they could push these people before they broke down in fear.

"Well, nice to finally see you in person Eye-Patch…..who is that with you?" asked Guren. Kaneki and Touka shifted ever so slightly while Kaneki felt a need to laugh seeing as they had met in person before.

"This is Usagi, she is Kuro-Usagi's sister and came in his stead today. The vampires are getting restless because of your presence on the boarder of the city." The man sighed. Both ghouls knew that fact was weighing heavy on him.

"Sorry about that, but we have to gather somewhere for the rest of us to meet safely and that was the best place. Entering the city with our numbers this small would be asking for death," Guren told him and Kaneki nodded.

"Understandable. You have new people with you." the girl, Touka narrowed her eyes at a specific group of people behind Guren.

"Three of you aren't humans….you don't smell like one," she stated.

"Ahh you caught that did you? Yes, three of the teenagers behind me aren't fully human, but that is what makes them remarkable comrades – several of them also have gifts – what about you two?" the two ghouls eyed one another.

"Nothing on the line of what you described recently as to what we should expect. Now, about how we're going to know the Raid has started….we cannot just wait for someone to blow up a block of the city and that be the calling card – you need Tokyo intact anyways," stated Kaneki as he kept a steady eye on the group.

"Alright, then allow me to introduce our signal." Guren waved and Akane stepped forward. They eyed her in questioning and she gave a slightly anxious smile.

"She smells like a normal human, but I can catch traces of vampire venom in her system….is she one of them?" asked Touka.

"No, this is Akane Hyakuya, she's the sister of the two over there that you pointed out as not being fully human – she has an ability with song – if she were to sing at the roof top of a building all of us could hear it and that can be our signal." They were slightly unconvinced by that statement, but Kaneki chose to give them the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

"She can do that? How?" inquired Touka.

"I have a gift called Sonnet – it allows me to provoke emotions in others so long as it's something that they themselves feel – and it can also reach in great distances if I were to use the right song." The white haired ghoul nodded as the explanation somehow connected in his mind and made a strangely concrete sense to him.

"Alright, we'll trust you on that…now about the unit we're supposed to meet up with? You know we won't sit idle and wait for them when the signal for it to begin comes – we'll have to fight towards the First Ward so what should we do?" Kaneki interrogated.

The people meeting you are Akane, Mitsuba, Shinoa, Yuu, Mika, Yoichi and Kimizuki – they'll be meeting you at the between point which you've detailed as being a bridge near a white building with the specific letters on its side….they'll meet you there and then you can go on to the First Ward and there you can join the fight to take down the Noble within Tokyo." The two ghouls glanced them over seeing as Guren had pointed to each of them they now knew their faces and names which pleased them greatly. Without question though, Kaneki knew that the others could tell the information made them feel a bit more lax.

"Good, we meet at sundown at a bridge in front of a white tower building with specific letters on its side – your leader can inform you of that one once you returned to your basecamp – we have seven with us as well. Myself, Usagi, Kuro-Usagi, Yoshi, Cho, Hebi, and Verglas. That will make the combined unit fourteen members strong. We can clear Wards twenty through four – at that point we may have to diverge from the normal route – there are some of our kind that are to brutal after the virus and became wild…we recommend not fighting them."

"We'll listen to you for instructions but that also brings up a problem – my troops don't know this city well enough by this point to avoid the black zones that you know. Is there anything you can help us with?" inquired Guren as the two ghouls once more glanced to one another.

"You recall we have two humans with us – we will have to defend them as well, but….I can have Hebi show you on a map zone where to avoid going without one of us present – if not all of us – and that will minimize your losses. I'll have him and Cho deliver the map to you tomorrow morning. When we do that please be the only one present – we don't wish to cause commotion…." Touka stepped forward at that.

"You need to tell your troops the names we use, and not to attack us when we start to move – otherwise we'll be fighting one another," she stated.

"Understood, now, do we have everything we need to know?" the two ghouls looked to one another out of the corners of their eyes.

"We do, now, does the Moon Demon Company have what they need to know? We also know now what your unit you're sending our way looks like, and they know what we look like therefore, we shouldn't worry on that part. Do you need to know anything else?" asked Kaneki. Guren gave a thoughtful look for a second.

"Yes, as of now, I am offering the Kyushu that assist us in the Tokyo Raid on November twentieth….a place in the Moon Demon Company as a part of their sanctuary in Shibuya." The two of them stared wide eyed at the statement.

"Are you certain you wish to extend that offer?" questioned Kaneki, uncertainty laced his tone. How could they do this? Why would they do this?

"Positive…..will you accept?" Guren asked. The white haired ghoul thought momentarily. Kaneki knew how important this would be to the others, and while it was a great leap into the unknown, he was more than willing to take it for their sakes.

"I will accept on behalf of the group – please keep in mind that may change seeing as we weren't planning on joining – I see your reason for it though, the protection we asked for is needed to a high extent….if this is how you will uphold your side of the deal then I accept." Guren stepped forward with his hand out and Kaneki took it with a firm shake.

"Best of luck to you Eye-Patch, I'll see you and your group on November twentieth," he said as he let go.

"And to you Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose….we will see you in the streets of Tokyo. Stay well." With that the two turned to leave.

Just as they got out of view, but not entirely out of ear shot Kaneki and Touka heard one of the teenagers behind him take in a deep shuttering breath as they nearly fell over. The two ghouls glanced back to see Guren had his eyes on the black haired, green eyed teen who was bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to get his bearings. They kept their focus on him and heard Guren hum in thought.

"Did they over power you?" he asked. The boy shook his head leaving Kaneki and Touka a bit surprised. Most humans felt uncomfortable around a ghoul, and being around two should have shook him to his core.

"No, but they are powerful…you made a good choice in asking for their help…." Guren stepped towards him as he stood straight and the two of them watched the interaction to see what the boy would do

"Will they betray us?" Yuu shook his head.

"The white haired one….he's honest….you can trust his words." The blonde and periwinkle haired girl nodded with him and Guren smirked.

"Good, because we're going to need it."

 **{Anteiku: 9:15pm}**

"HE SAID WHAT?" the group jumped just a bit at hearing the outburst from Irimi who now was sitting back in her seat flustered.

"You heard me. Not only did they extend a further offer to us for protection sake, but Guren Ichinose's youngest son told him and the others that we could be trusted." The others stared dumbfounded.

"I'm officially amazed. How in the hell did you manage to get that much trust?" asked Ayato.

"Who knows….but that boy…Yuuichiro…he trusts us and I felt that early on. We need to put our trust in them, and that they'll do what they say they will..." Kaneki looked to the others, and Hide grinned brightly as he considered what was to come from this.

"We need to be strong for what's coming huh? Well, I guess we can manage that...after all...your a fairly decent judge of character, and I think you can manage it," he stated with an encouraging smile towards his friend.

"Thanks, Hide...now, we need to be ready for them in just a few days, and then, we're taking back Tokyo..." everyone nodded.

"We're right behind you, no matter what, okay?" stated Kimi.

"We've got through this so far by trusting each other, we can do it..." Kaneki assured them of this, and Touka grabbed his hand.

"And this time, we aren't alone..."

 **{…}**

 _I've been broken, I'll rise again…._

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Finally, I'm sorry about never being able to get these last five chapters up on this site! I've been monstrously busy, but it's no longer the same problem. I will be updating these last five chapters at random, but I'm also, going to at some point, put up the complete Seraphim Blood II: Bloodied Angels up on the site once I'm done with it.

I have a beta-reader now, and she's been working on my Kingdom Hearts series since it started, and the Parallel Glass: Guardians story. I'm planning on getting several of my older stories up off the ground, finishing them, and connecting the threads carefully.

Tell me what you guys think! I apologize again for not having it up sooner, also, in the last five chapters, there are no previews. I look forward to reading your commentary.

PS: this is the non-beta version of the chapter, it'll be up, with the rest of the fixed chapters later!


	21. Chapter 21: Raid

Chapter 21: Raid

 **{November 15** **th** **2020, Anteiku: 7:01am – Five Days to Tokyo Raid}**

 **{November 5** **th** **6:01am: MDC Camp Site}**

Yuuichiro Hyakuya had definite had better mornings. This one took first place since the start of the year, and he was more than willing to see this year end. He wanted to leave all the hardships behind, and the insanity that had come with it for just a brief stint if whatever cosmic force that decided to throw karma at innocent people let him have that. He groaned in frustration as yet another head rush made the room flip, and his throat decided it needed to be dry and scratchy as he breathed in to try and ease his tension. Shinoa had left to get something hot for them to drink while they waited for Guren to call for them to meet up, but honestly, he was beginning to feel as if he had been struck by lightning and needed the remaining time in the year to recover. He gulped in a deep breath of air as he felt an unsettling ache develop in his chest.

" _This is not good…I knew being so lax about this was a bad idea but damn it…I didn't think…."_

"Yuu! I'm back….I got some hot tea is that…." Shinoa stopped as she looked at him breathing hard as he was doubled over feeling unnaturally ill and faintly disoriented.

"Shinoa…" he glanced at her and she sat down the canisters she'd been given and walked over to him.

"What's wrong? Are you hurting?" she sat beside him and he felt a sharp pain rush through his head which forced him to clutch at the offending area as he took in another deep breath.

"Yea…I'm not sure….w-what brought it on t-though…" she eyed him as he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore what he knew was the cause of the sudden pain.

"It's the psychometric trait isn't it? You haven't been doing it enough have you?" he glanced to the side.

"If I can be honest….it scares me….what I'm capable of…" she felt a small knot form in her chest.

"Yuu, look at me…"

He glanced at her and she felt the knot in her chest grow tighter as his eyes changed color almost instantaneously. They went from the normal, beautiful and deep emerald to a sharp, cold electric green as the pupils slitted and she felt a tinge of grief fill her. This was still the same person, and just the fact that she had to reminder herself of that hurt. Taking in a deep breath Shinoa undid a few of the buttons on her jacket collar and moved it out of the way of her shoulder before looking at him as he averted his eyes.

"I know it hurts, and I know why it hurts…but please Yuu…I can't bear to see you like this…I don't want you in pain and I don't like seeing you suffering like you are now so…." He hissed at that.

"But you would have me become something inhuman…I'm not a human already Shinoa! I don't want to sacrifice anymore of the fragile bit of humanity I have left just because of something I have no choice but to appease…" she sighed at hearing those words.

"You know what I think a human is?" he glanced at her.

"What?" Shinoa smiled and reached out to him before cupping his face.

"I think it's in the manner you treat others, in the lengths one would go to protect something or someone precious to them. I think it's entirely about what you do to defend, to honor, to love, cherish, and appreciate what you may have be it big or small. I think humanity especially lies not in your race, your species, genetics, what you look like, talk like, dress like, or even what talents you possess…no…humanity isn't superficial or on the surface…it's here…" she placed a hand on his chest where his heart was and he blinked in realization.

If memory served him right, those words were the same ones he would had typically used to describe himself and others like him when it came to what their definition of humanity was. Yuu knew what Shinoa meant in saying that, and he had never been more thankful due to the fact that she had remembered and was able to recall those words, those simplistic words, to bring him back almost every time he felt the weight of it all cave on him. Shinoa smiled as he took in a shaky breath and she brushed her thumbs under his eyes.

"Now, let's get this under control and keep it that way so we can face this head on….okay?" he took in yet another unsteady breath and she pulled her jacket and shirt out of the way before the boy looked her in the eyes.

"I hate what I am….but at least you can help me stay together…I think you're the thread keeping me from falling to pieces….so thank you Shinoa…" she smiled as cool lips touched her shoulder followed by the brief sting of sharp teeth and blood flow.

"Its fine….I love you….I'll do anything I have to in order to save you…" she knotted her fingers in his hair and smiled as she closed her eyes.

" _Because even if you don't know it….your holding me together too Yuu..."_

 **{Anteiku: 7:00am}**

"Touka?" the blue haired girl looked at her brother as she tugged on her boots and grabbed her mask.

"What is it Ayato?" the teenager pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.

"Kaneki wanted to speak with you about the meet up today with Guren's unit he's sending in," he stated. She rose an eyebrow.

"Why?" he shrugged.

"To hell if I know…I just get the feeling he thinks it's important," he explained.

"Alright, I'm coming..." Touka hooked her mask over her head and let it hang around her throat before walking out of the room and towards where she knew Kaneki was waiting with the others.

Ayato was a bit ahead of her and as soon as she was downstairs with the others their conversation for the day's actions went into its planning phase. Touka placed her input on specific details as each group was given their directive while Kaneki and one other would be heading to the bridge that lead into Tokyo City to meet up with Guren Ichinose and the others. As the details came to a close Touka smiled as she listened to the jobs that were handed out. Kimi and Nishiki were heading into the left boarder of the city to check on a few supplies that they could gather, Irimi and Hinami would be going to the west to seek out vampires, and Ayato and Hide would be making a run for the central zone of Tokyo for recon. She smiled just a bit as Hide gave his friend a wide grin in excitement.

Since being bitten by a werewolf some three years ago – and she got the distinct feeling that her math was off – Hide had gained agility and a few other detailed abilities which allowed him to keep up with Ayato at the least. Kaneki had paired in with both Nishiki and Ayato in recent months and for that she was at least thankful to know that they had one more fighter on their side. However, knowing who was going where and with whom told Touka one thing.

"So, I'm going with you huh?" she asked the white haired ghoul.

"Yes, I need you to come with me this time because Ayato has gone the other times. At some point Nishiki will have to do this as well. Irimi is staying hidden in case we need a surprise." To that statement Irimi frowned.

"Which means you don't trust Guren and his units," she stated. Kaneki shook his head.

"Actually, that's not true. I do trust them, but I don't trust anyone else in the Moon Demon Company because I have not met them face to face." Hide smirked.

"You have to rely on that talent of yours to discern some of the finite details on people huh Kaneki?" the white haired ghoul shrugged.

"You could say that. Mainly, I just don't want to do something and regret it. I make sure I'm careful and I only trust those I've laid eyes on and even then they need to give me a direct reason to trust them." Ayato gave him a bland expression at that.

"That may be all true, but you trusted Aogiri Tree, Banjou, and not to mention you also put your faith in Anteiku! You blindly trust sometimes," he said. Kaneki laughed a bit at that.

"You honestly think after Rize I openly trusted people in the ghoul world or the human world?" Ayato gaped.

"What?" Kaneki nodded.

"I've never fully trusted anyone until they've given me reason to, and even then I've needed _several_ reasons to trust them….I know that may be hard to believe but even Hide had to win my trust over the course of a year and a half before I relied on him." Hide laughed.

"That's the truth. He was kind and we hung out, but unfortunately I was able to soon tell that he didn't trust me…man did I feel relieved when I was able to actually earn his trust!" he stated.

"So, no worries. I know what I'm doing." Ayato nodded.

"Okay, Touka? Help keep an eye on him and you do the same Kaneki," he said.

"Yea, got it!" however, none of them were quite sure what these upcoming events would do to change their lives.

 **{Bridge to Tokyo: 9:15am}**

After a rather intense and faintly stressful morning Guren and Sayuri lead Yuu, Shinoa, Mika, Mitsuba, Akane, Kimizuki, and Yoichi onto the bridge to meet up with Eye-patch and whomever he was bringing with him. At this point though, with them settled on the bridge Guren decided to inform them of protocol for their first encounter with the ghouls.

"I don't want anyone making any sudden movements, nor do I want you drawing your weapons when these two come," he stated this and the others blinked in surprise.

"Why? Are they dangerous?" he turned to look at the others who were tense awaiting the meet up to begin.

"We've come into an agreement with the Kyushu within Tokyo – the Antique group – is what they're called. Two of them, their leader I'm suspecting and one of the watchers came and spoke with us as the units were moving outwards from their areas….they've agreed to help us in exchange for sanctuary in Shibuya," he explained. The others became still at hearing that.

"What? You really came into some kind of agreement with the Kyushu? Are you serious?" Guren looked at Kimizuki and the others who seemed shocked.

"Yes, they're surprisingly civil – I know we've all heard the stories, reports and whatnot, but the two I met? They were nothing like the ones we've heard of," Guren informed them calmly.

"So we're meeting here on the highway?" he nodded.

"Eye-Patch said it was the best place to be because it was in the open and neither of us would feel closed in," another explanation and Mika looked at their group.

"There are twelve of us meeting two of them – I would consider that feeling closed in," he said.

"Normally I would come in person alone, but they need to meet the seven of you because I'm sending you to meet them half-way between ward twenty and ward one." The group sighed but nodded.

"Alright, did they say when they'd…." Yuu stilled, tensing as the others watched him and Mika – Shinoa felt her body tense as the sharp scent of something unfamiliar flooded her senses – and two figures hopped out of the window lower to the ground from one of the nearby buildings.

"I'm guessing their here…" muttered Akane as she watched the two figures approach.

Kaneki and Touka were steady as they made it closer to the group of twelve. It was nothing short of discomforting but they were more concerned with making the weapon wielding humans anxious than their own comfort. The last thing any of them needed were trigger happy teenagers. Touka kept her eyes focused on the others as they grew closer and she was able to make out the faces of the teens behind Guren. She saw three girls present, a blonde, a brunette, and a girl with periwinkle hair who stood straight and tall next to a black haired, emerald eyed teenager. Kaneki glanced to her and she nodded as she put her gaze back on the others as they were finally just shy of being where they needed to be.

Emerald eyes locked onto her alongside a pair of pale sapphire blue ones that allowed Touka to realized why Kaneki trusted these people when they'd observed them prior to actually meeting with them for the first time today. She saw the same things that he did – the struggles, will to survive, and determination to stand tall in the face of danger. Kaneki and Touka came close enough to where they heard one of the boys – the one with pink hair – swear as his form let off a tiny tremble of discomfort.

"Damn….." something about his eyes told both Ghouls that he was uncomfortable, and because of that Touka began to wonder how far they could push these people before they broke down in fear.

"Well, nice to finally see you in person Eye-Patch…..who is that with you?" asked Guren. Kaneki and Touka shifted ever so slightly while Kaneki felt a need to laugh seeing as they had met in person before.

"This is Usagi, she is Kuro-Usagi's sister and came in his stead today. The vampires are getting restless because of your presence on the boarder of the city." The man sighed. Both ghouls knew that fact was weighing heavy on him.

"Sorry about that, but we have to gather somewhere for the rest of us to meet safely and that was the best place. Entering the city with our numbers this small would be asking for death," Guren told him and Kaneki nodded.

"Understandable. You have new people with you." the girl, Touka narrowed her eyes at a specific group of people behind Guren.

"Three of you aren't humans….you don't smell like one," she stated.

"Ahh you caught that did you? Yes, three of the teenagers behind me aren't fully human, but that is what makes them remarkable comrades – several of them also have gifts – what about you two?" the two ghouls eyed one another.

"Nothing on the line of what you described recently as to what we should expect. Now, about how we're going to know the Raid has started….we cannot just wait for someone to blow up a block of the city and that be the calling card – you need Tokyo intact anyways," stated Kaneki as he kept a steady eye on the group.

"Alright, then allow me to introduce our signal." Guren waved and Akane stepped forward. They eyed her in questioning and she gave a slightly anxious smile.

"She smells like a normal human, but I can catch traces of vampire venom in her system….is she one of them?" asked Touka.

"No, this is Akane Hyakuya, she's the sister of the two over there that you pointed out as not being fully human – she has an ability with song – if she were to sing at the roof top of a building all of us could hear it and that can be our signal." They were slightly unconvinced by that statement, but Kaneki chose to give them the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

"She can do that? How?" inquired Touka.

"I have a gift called Sonnet – it allows me to provoke emotions in others so long as it's something that they themselves feel – and it can also reach in great distances if I were to use the right song." The white haired ghoul nodded as the explanation somehow connected in his mind and made a strangely concrete sense to him.

"Alright, we'll trust you on that…now about the unit we're supposed to meet up with? You know we won't sit idle and wait for them when the signal for it to begin comes – we'll have to fight towards the First Ward so what should we do?" Kaneki interrogated.

The people meeting you are Akane, Mitsuba, Shinoa, Yuu, Mika, Yoichi and Kimizuki – they'll be meeting you at the between point which you've detailed as being a bridge near a white building with the specific letters on its side….they'll meet you there and then you can go on to the First Ward and there you can join the fight to take down the Noble within Tokyo." The two ghouls glanced them over seeing as Guren had pointed to each of them they now knew their faces and names which pleased them greatly. Without question though, Kaneki knew that the others could tell the information made them feel a bit more lax.

"Good, we meet at sundown at a bridge in front of a white tower building with specific letters on its side – your leader can inform you of that one once you returned to your basecamp – we have seven with us as well. Myself, Usagi, Kuro-Usagi, Yoshi, Cho, Hebi, and Verglas. That will make the combined unit fourteen members strong. We can clear Wards twenty through four – at that point we may have to diverge from the normal route – there are some of our kind that are to brutal after the virus and became wild…we recommend not fighting them."

"We'll listen to you for instructions but that also brings up a problem – my troops don't know this city well enough by this point to avoid the black zones that you know. Is there anything you can help us with?" inquired Guren as the two ghouls once more glanced to one another.

"You recall we have two humans with us – we will have to defend them as well, but….I can have Hebi show you on a map zone where to avoid going without one of us present – if not all of us – and that will minimize your losses. I'll have him and Cho deliver the map to you tomorrow morning. When we do that please be the only one present – we don't wish to cause commotion…." Touka stepped forward at that.

"You need to tell your troops the names we use, and not to attack us when we start to move – otherwise we'll be fighting one another," she stated.

"Understood, now, do we have everything we need to know?" the two ghouls looked to one another out of the corners of their eyes.

"We do, now, does the Moon Demon Company have what they need to know? We also know now what your unit you're sending our way looks like, and they know what we look like therefore, we shouldn't worry on that part. Do you need to know anything else?" asked Kaneki. Guren gave a thoughtful look for a second.

"Yes, as of now, I am offering the Kyushu that assist us in the Tokyo Raid on November twentieth….a place in the Moon Demon Company as a part of their sanctuary in Shibuya." The two of them stared wide eyed at the statement.

"Are you certain you wish to extend that offer?" questioned Kaneki, uncertainty laced his tone. How could they do this? Why would they do this?

"Positive…..will you accept?" Guren asked. The white haired ghoul thought momentarily. Kaneki knew how important this would be to the others, and while it was a great leap into the unknown, he was more than willing to take it for their sakes.

"I will accept on behalf of the group – please keep in mind that may change seeing as we weren't planning on joining – I see your reason for it though, the protection we asked for is needed to a high extent….if this is how you will uphold your side of the deal then I accept." Guren stepped forward with his hand out and Kaneki took it with a firm shake.

"Best of luck to you Eye-Patch, I'll see you and your group on November twentieth," he said as he let go.

"And to you Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose….we will see you in the streets of Tokyo. Stay well." With that the two turned to leave.

Just as they got out of view, but not entirely out of ear shot Kaneki and Touka heard one of the teenagers behind him take in a deep shuttering breath as they nearly fell over. The two ghouls glanced back to see Guren had his eyes on the black haired, green eyed teen who was bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to get his bearings. They kept their focus on him and heard Guren hum in thought.

"Did they over power you?" he asked. The boy shook his head leaving Kaneki and Touka a bit surprised. Most humans felt uncomfortable around a ghoul, and being around two should have shook him to his core.

"No, but they are powerful…you made a good choice in asking for their help…." Guren stepped towards him as he stood straight and the two of them watched the interaction to see what the boy would do

"Will they betray us?" Yuu shook his head.

"The white haired one….he's honest….you can trust his words." The blonde and periwinkle haired girl nodded with him and Guren smirked.

"Good, because we're going to need it."

 **{Anteiku: 9:15pm}**

"HE SAID WHAT?" the group jumped just a bit at hearing the outburst from Irimi who now was sitting back in her seat flustered.

"You heard me. Not only did they extend a further offer to us for protection sake, but Guren Ichinose's youngest son told him and the others that we could be trusted." The others stared dumbfounded.

"I'm officially amazed. How in the hell did you manage to get that much trust?" asked Ayato.

"Who knows….but that boy…Yuuichiro…he trusts us and I felt that early on. We need to put our trust in them, and that they'll do what they say they will..." Kaneki looked to the others, and Hide grinned brightly as he considered what was to come from this.

"We need to be strong for what's coming huh? Well, I guess we can manage that...after all...your a fairly decent judge of character, and I think you can manage it," he stated with an encouraging smile towards his friend.

"Thanks, Hide...now, we need to be ready for them in just a few days, and then, we're taking back Tokyo..." everyone nodded.

"We're right behind you, no matter what, okay?" stated Kimi.

"We've got through this so far by trusting each other, we can do it..." Kaneki assured them of this, and Touka grabbed his hand.

"And this time, we aren't alone..."

 **{…}**

 _The fallen angels I run with all know, frowning at the reflecting sunset, it's our fear that makes us all human after all. Should I go? Torn old sepia photographs show - Should I return? I do wonder but, our fragile little world...after some time, I start walking, Must reject it, respond to the...Showing my back to where I was, calling, screaming inside of my soul, yes, I have to go._

 **{….}**

Author's Note: Finally, I'm sorry about never being able to get these last five chapters up on this site! I've been monsteriously busy, but it's no longer the same problem. I will be updating these last five chapters at random, but I'm also, going to at some point, put up the complete Seraphim Blood II: Bloodied Angels up on the site once I'm done with it.

I have a beta-reader now, and she's been working on my Kingdom Hearts series since it started, and the Parallel Glass: Guardians story. I'm planning on getting several of my older stories up off the ground, finishing them, and connecting the threads carefully.

Tell me what you guys think! I apologize again for not having it up sooner, also, in the last five chapters, there are no previews. I look forward to reading your commentary.

PS: this is the non-beta version of the chapter, it'll be up, with the rest of the fixed chapters later!


	22. Chapter 22: Masks

Chapter 22: Masks

 **{Anteiku: November 13th, 2020, 8:15am}**

Nishiki sighed as he suited up for his current task of delivering the zoned map to the Moon Demon Company before the raid that they were only a few days shy of. By this point, the Ghouls were completing their tasks of prepping the details of the raid and making sure that they were careful with how they planned their own operations just in case of a betrayal. However, thanks to Kaneki's strange little gift, they understood Lieutenant Colonel Ichinose Guren had no intentions of betraying them, and neither did his squadron. Nonetheless, that didn't mean that being careful wasn't important, especially when they weren't certain of the other units that would be present.

"You ready to go?" asked Hide as Nishiki rolled up the map and slid it into a tube to carry it safely to the camp.

"Yep, I only hope they got that message that Hinami sent to them by that pigeon she trained…." The blonde laughed.

"You mean the parrot? What did she call it again? Star or something?" he questioned.

"Most of us call it Loser… seeing as that's what it says all the time… how that stupid bird survived is beyond me…" Hide shrugged.

"Guess it was lucky… anyways, are you sure you don't want someone going with you?" he probed as the elder shook his head.

"Nope, this is an in and out mission, no one is supposed to go with me. But, do you think this is the right thing?" Hide laughed.

"Of course, I do! We're finally going to be doing something about these vampires! They've had the world in their greedy hands for four years, now it's time to get this shit over with, and let them know that none of us are going to let it slide by anymore. So, yea, I do think we should do it," he told him while Nishiki sighed.

"Guess you've got a point… I just hope things go the way we're hoping they do. Otherwise, we're all gonna die…" Hide shrugged.

"The way I see it, if this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together," he stated while Nishiki glanced his way before tugging on his mask.

"Right you are, brother… right you are…"

 **{Storage Room: November 17** **th** **, 2020, 11:15am}**

"Hey, Kaneki? Where is the equipment for the raid gear?" asked Kimi as she came into one of the large rooms upstairs from the Anteiku shop. Kaneki was currently sorting through a series of randomized items they had collected over the last few years, a series of them being medical equipment, quinque weaponry taken from the deceased CCG workers – and the ones they'd found by going into the tower a few times – and an occasional series of strange cards that Hide had called Duel Monsters or something like that, which were brought back to use as a sort of pastime.

"If you're looking for the helmets, they're in the storage room near stairs, if it's the shields we have those in here in that corner over there…" he pointed to the corner near a window where a small set of shields were put up.

"I meant the vests, Hide said he can't find his," she stated.

"Oh, those are…" he reached over and grabbed one of the vests that had a small orange stitch on it to identify it as Hide's.

"There it is! I swear, he'd lose his head if it wasn't attached," Kimi told him as she picked it up while Kaneki finished sorting through the items they'd need.

"Tell me about it… now, what's the deal with the others? Are they doing checks on their masks and everything?" the red-haired girl nodded.

"Yea, Nishiki is helping with making sure everything is up to par. But, I was wondering… Kaneki? Are you certain that this is what we need to do? I know you mean well, and I think it's a good idea… but… are you positive we should help the Japanese Imperial Demon Army? Let alone join them after this is over?" Kimi questioned.

"If you had asked me that question back when all this started four years ago… then I would have told you no, but now… after everything we've suffered through… after all of that pain and torment… after losing so much and struggling to survive… I know it's the right choice… without question, we must help them defeat the Noble in Tokyo, and then… we can all start over." The red-head took in a deep breath.

"Right, then, Hide and I will start getting things ready the rest of the way. I just wanted to be certain… and it's not because we don't trust you… we…" Kaneki smiled towards the woman.

"Believe me, I understand. You wanted to be certain that this is what we should be doing. I know it's a risk, but our lives have always been a risk, even back before the virus's outbreak… we… lived every single day in fear that we would be hunted down like wild animals and slaughtered… now, we're being given the chance to change the world and everything else that's happened can be erased…" Kimi frowned.

"Erased? Can all of us really change the past?" the white-haired Ghoul nodded.

"Yes, and you know why? Because, we're striving towards a future where hopefully, humans, ghouls, and any other type of creature out there that wants amity can exist peacefully. This is our first step towards the future, where a mask isn't required to survive anymore…" the woman took the words in, and smiled slowly.

"Then let's be ready for the raid when it comes," she stated as Kaneki nodded in agreement.

"Right, get that vest to Hide, once we're done with our tasks, we need to meet up for a strategy set up. Irimi should be back soon with Ayato so we have a lot to do before then. Okay?" Kimi nodded once and left the room, leaving Kaneki to sigh as he finished organizing what they would need for the raid happening in just four days.

The white-haired Ghoul sighed in evident defeat. Four years of struggling for survival, of challenging everything that came their way, and hoping they could make it through another night, was about to end. In many ways, it was a blessing, and in others, it felt almost like a curse. Kaneki wondered sometimes if there would be any hope for the Ghouls of Anteiku to exist outside of the world they'd managed to create since this disaster of an event that had rocked the world to its core. However, he also knew, that the time for surviving day by day had come to an end, and that it was the moment to write their own futures, and by joining the Moon Demon Company, they would be doing that. A single hazel eye glanced towards the deck of cards that Hide had created for him back when he'd found hundreds of the things had brought them back on a whim.

"Ghoul archetype huh? Hide, you're a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?" he thought aloud as he picked up the top card and sighed as he read the name of the card: King of Ghouls.

The image depicted an elegant young man with white hair, red eyes, and ivory skin with blood stains upon his mouth, gore held loftily in his slender, long-fingered hands, black, long nails, and a strictly black attire while a crown of bone sat upon his head. It had been a bit of a joke from Hide to give him such a thing that had no use in an apocalypse, but he had kept the cards because for some bizarre reason, he felt as though it would become important, and because Hinami considered the card to be a good representation of him.

"Figures…" he stated as he huffed and sat the card back down before sliding them back into a small leather case that Hide said would protect them. Despite his best efforts to set them aside and not think about them – as he had done in recent months – something, made him latch it onto the belt of his battle suit before exiting the room.

 **{Downstairs: 12:04pm}**

Touka took in a deep breath as she stretched a bit and looked out one of the windows of the downstairs of the shop. It was sunny, even for November, and seemed strangely comforting to be as barren and chilled as their city was. The days leading up to the raid had left her feeling anxious, but also very excited to see what would happen now that they had allies, and could do more than they once had. Despite all that though, she had been unable to shake the feeling that after the raid, adjusting would be a challenge, but also, that something else was coming and the fight would be far worse than any of the other ones they'd faced before. Shaking her head, Touka blew her bangs out of her face and sighed in defeat as she glanced towards a mirror and messed with the ends of her hair. Once the battle was over, she was considering letting it grow out again, if she could that is.

"Touka? Are you down here?" asked Hinami as she came down the stairs.

"Yea, is something wrong Hinami?" the girl's brown eyes looked towards Touka who smiled as the girl shook her head, pale-brown hair brushing just past her shoulders.

"No, nothing's wrong, but um… could you help me? I kind of need to trim my hair, it's a bit too long and keeps getting stuck in the mask buckles," Hinami stated as she looked at the woman.

"Sure, just sit down and I'll get the scissors."

Hinami sat down and Touka grabbed the scissors from the drawer behind the counter before laying a towel around the girl's shoulders as she started to trim her hair to reach just below her jaw like she had work it for so long. That was why the girls kept their hair short, because the masks would rip it out otherwise, and they didn't need that happening all the time. Irimi had kept her hair long; however, she never took it out of a braid or ponytail if she was in combat, and had always reminded them that if the fight got to difficult, she would be cutting her hair as well. Touka sighed, faintly recalling her mother's waist-length hair that was always immaculately kept, and never seemed to get caught in her mask. As Touka recalled conversations that seemed strangely silly at the time, Hinami thought on the battle ahead and how it would be time for everyone in her family – including herself – to work as one with these people that would be sent in to help them battle the leader of the creatures within Tokyo: Hans Weisburg.

"Touka? What do you think about the people they're sending in?" she asked.

"They're young… and maybe they shouldn't be sent in… but I know they're strong… and can be trusted, so I'll just hope they can handle themselves…" Hinami hummed in thought.

"It seems like we're having second thoughts about all of this…. I wish we wouldn't… it seems like it's too late to do that anyhow…" she stated as Touka took in a deep breath.

"I agree with you there…. It is a bit too late for us to be second guessing ourselves and our allies, huh? Well, like I said: we'll just have to trust them. Now, are you done checking over your equipment?" the now fifteen-year-old girl nodded.

"Yep, all done! Hide said he was gonna help me get the first-aid kits prepped before out meeting tonight. So, I gotta go help him! Thanks for trimming my hair Touka!" with that the girl left and the violet-haired girl sighed.

"No second guessing ourselves…" she whispered as she cleaned up the trimmed hair and set to work on heading up the stairs to finish her last-minute checks on what they needed to have ready.

There had been a secondary plan set up in case something happened due to the stirring of the vampires and other creatures within the city lately. If the group sent in was cornered, they had every intention of scouting for them before bringing them to Anteiku where they could assess what was happening and regroup from there. It had been a slightly last-minute idea granted to them by Hide and Kaneki's brainstorming, and while they were hesitant to show them where their main location was, it was safer to do so than to run the risk of being cornered and the entire Raid falling through because the recon team – as the Anteiku group had dubbed them – had been wiped out.

While deep in thought, Touka prepared to ready their gear as she stood in the room she shared with Kaneki and got herself in the mindset of being ready to fight for her right to survive in this broken world, and for the right for those she loved to live as well. After so much loss and grief, Touka had no intention of letting anyone else die, regardless of if they'd just met or not, so long as they fought for the same thing – for the survival of humans and ghouls, and for the freedom of their lives from the Vampires – she would fight alongside them, defend them, and if needs be, die for them.

Tears welled in her eyes momentarily as she thought of the possibility of losing the others who had become her family for the last four years and as a small, almost silent sob left her, arms wrapped around her waist and turned her to face the person, the scent of ink, parchment, and coffee catching her senses as she closed her eyes tightly against the ragged emotions that the thoughts dragged up from the depths of her heart.

"Touka, are you okay?" Kaneki asked as he placed a hand atop her head, cradling her to him.

"I'm fine… just… I guess I'm anxious for this to begin…." He nodded.

"Everyone is… Nishiki, just got back, and he told me that even the Moon Demon Company is getting anxious, so I think I'm going to speak with them soon… just to help understand where we all are… but I wouldn't worry… we'll be okay, alright?" he stated as the girl nodded.

"Just promise me you won't die on me…" Kaneki smiled as he tilted Touka's head up to look into her eyes.

"Listen to me, no matter what happens…. I'm never going to leave you, that much I promise… and you know I don't like breaking my promises…" Touka shook her head.

"Idiot… we don't get to do what we like in this world… you know that," she muttered.

"Then, how about we leave it at the fact that I'll never break your heart… you've suffered enough, we all have… so, listen to what I say: I love you, and I will always be here for you, no matter how hard things get… but you must promise me, that you won't give up either, okay?" the girl nodded slowly, pressing her lips to his momentarily.

"I promise I won't, you know I won't…" as the words left her, he placed one more kiss to her lips and smiled to her, brushing her bangs from her face as he pulled her closer to him.

"Then we'll face this together, besides… you know we can do it… no worries, right?" another steady nod came from her.

"Of course, I do."

As they stood there in the silence, the others in their own rooms preparing for the day of the raid, both Kaneki and Touka could feel the oncoming battle in the air, the chilled wind that felt like gnashing teeth and tearing claws every time they stepped out the door; however, despite all that, no one within Anteiku doubted that with the help of the Moon Demon Company, they could liberate Tokyo from the grasp of the vampire Noble who elected to rule this now desolated place. As they day wore on, the group within Anteiku, had gone over several battle plans as the sunlight ended and candles became their light source in the night. Their minds constantly mulling over thoughts and memories as they gathered their last required supplies while they prepared aids and strategies throughout the night, their eyes scanning the shop and the area they had called home for four years off and on while they considered what they were facing.

While they believed that the Moon Demon Company could hold true to their word, and soon, Shibuya would be their new home: there was still a chance for things to go wrong. It was possible, though not freely spoken, that this would be the last time any of them saw Anteiku, or Tokyo, and these last few days, could very well be the last time they saw one another, because in this battle, death was to likely. Kaneki knew Guren would be returning the city to its former state of a glittering maze by setting the power grid back on, but he also thought of the likelihood of everyone sent into the city perishing under those brilliant lights.

To see this tomb of a city, revived with light and life, would be a great dream brought into reality, but that day was still impossibly far off, and the world they still lived in was dark, and dismal. There was little to no light within their lives, but those small moments that were caught between sorrow and bliss, would be cherished, and kept close to their hearts regardless of what the day of the raid resulted in. Kaneki took a deep breath as he now stood upon the roof of the shop, staring up at the twinkling stars, contemplating the results that would follow, and the days that could come after it.

Maybe they were asking for too much, and there would be never enough to repay anything that had happened. It would be better if they retreated and closed the curtains, shut the book, and walked away; however, they couldn't do it. Sighing, the white-haired ghoul looked at the darkened city, wondering if he could request one more day in the life he'd lived back when things were easier, but not simple. Back in those days, he had been impossibly naïve, not being sure of himself enough to trust his own instincts, and the result had been him being dragged into a world he hadn't even wanted to know existed.

Because of his doubt, and his insecurity, he had lost his human life and been reborn as a ghoul; however, now that he looked at it despite all the pain and suffering, he was thankful he'd lived through it all, because he met Touka, Hinami, Nishiki, Kimi, Ayato, Ren, Irimi, Yoshimura, Banjo, and everyone else. They were what had become part of his world, and without them, he would feel impossibly lost. A small smile graced his features as he looked up and saw a brilliant glow in the sky from a lone star.

"It's awful bright, huh?" Kaneki turned to see Ayato standing against the area that the door of the stars for the roof was.

"Yea, it is…" the blue-haired teenager thought for a moment.

"When we were little kids… dad used to read this story to me and Touka… it was about the magical land that was hidden away in the brightest star in the sky, if you went there, it was beautiful and peaceful place where adventures could be had, and imagination took you however far you wanted to go. There were fairies, Indians, giant crocodiles, pirates, and a band of kids whose leader could fly… anything could happen… it was an island, hidden away in the star's light…" Kaneki hummed.

"Peter Pan, I remember reading that once when I was a kid… it was an amazing story… I remember wishing on that star with my mom… I kept hoping that if we went there… then we could be happy forever… it was a silly dream as a little kid… I was probably about five…" Ayato laughed a bit.

"Touka and I used to play that we were Wendy and Peter Pan… some of the local kids would act as the lost boys or the pirates… we would have wars in our yard before our mom died and she would come and get us when the sun went down and… pick us up with our dad… spinning us around telling us that we could return to neverland tomorrow… they would get us cleaned up and we'd have our dinner and once we were in bed, our mom would sing this little song… and tell us that if we believed in something strongly enough, it could happen… the start of the following year… she was killed…" Kaneki sighed.

"It seems like you can't be a child long enough, huh? The world wants you to grow up to quickly, thinking you must be an adult and forget about things like neverland, fairytales, and imagination… conform and close out your world to what they want… like any innocence is unacceptable… it's repulsive…" Ayato nodded.

"I can agree with you there. Touka, when we were little, would tell me that one day we would go to Neverland, and fly away from all the mess that had happened… that we'd spend our entire lives dreaming of Neverland and one day we'd be there… she's always loved fairytales… still does if I think about it," he stated.

"There's nothing wrong with believing in dreams, we have a dream right now as a group to survive this and start our lives over." The blue-haired teenager nodded once more.

"And all of us will do it… we're just gonna have to battle it out… you know what they say, the things we don't gain without sweat, we give away without regret," he said. Kaneki smiled at his statement.

"You've got a point there…" the blue-haired boy fixed the scarf around his neck and shoulders, feeling the effect of the cold.

"It's getting' pretty cold… we better get inside," Ayato suggested as Kaneki nodded.

"Yea, I'll be right there…" the other ghoul went inside, and Kaneki cast the brightly gleaming star a final glance.

"The second star from the right, shines with a light for you… I guess that's true this time…" with that he left the roof, the star gleaming like an unending beacon for their hopes and dreams to come true as the day of the raid drew closer.

 **{…..}**

 _Don't give up, I've come this far…._

 **{….}**

 **Author's Note:** Okay, yea, I know, it's been a long damn time since I updated this story, but I had a lot going on and I lost my inspiration for it. Somehow, I've started to get it back, but these last chapters aren't going to be very long, and that's because I don't see the need for it.

Also, did anyone catch those two references in this chapter? The one at the end was obvious because it was talking about Peter Pan, and I also kind of ended up with my music on shuffle, and well… the second star to the right started playing and it gave me a little inspiration for a conversation about the past and about not surrendering hopes and dreams to reality just because everything _**seems**_ lost.

I know going back to things from my childhood helps me recover from emotional duress, and I've got a lot of it recently. So, now that it seems I have something back in my muse jar, I have completed this story at long last. Don't worry, at some point soon, I hope to have Seraphim Blood II up, and if you look at that story… I think there should be a little something there for you guys.

Oh, also, Seraphim Blood: Immortal Reign, has been redone and cleaned up… it's the same story, just more detail and information, plus the pacing is a tad different. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Next time:

Chapter 23: Kagune


End file.
